Middle East Dossier

The aim of the S R Nathan Distinguished Lecture is to provide greater awareness and understanding of the modern Middle East. This lecture provides a forum for statesmen, internationally prominent scholars and public intellectuals to express their views on key issues. The lecture series is named in honour of Singapore’s late former president, Mr S R Nathan, who encouraged a deeper understanding of the Middle East region in Singapore. .   .   .   .   .   . Iran After the War. How Has the War Changed Iran and What Comes Next?   This year’s MEI S R Nathan Distinguished Lecture features Professor Vali R. Nasr — Visiting S. Rajaratnam Professor of Strategic Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies, School of Advanced International Studies, John Hopkins University, USA, and a leading authority on Iran, Middle East politics, and US foreign policy. Professor Nasr will address one of the most consequential questions of our time: the future of Iran after two devastating wars in 2025–2026 that have profoundly changed its state and society. As Iran faces leadership transitions and the deep impact of war on its economy and social fabric, critical questions emerge: How will the Islamic Republic govern Iran after the war? How will it manage its economy in the aftermath? How will it navigate its relations with the region and the world?

The Middle East Institute at the National University of Singapore is pleased to invite you to a book talk presenting Iron Dome: A History of Israel’s Military Strategy (Bloomsbury Academic, 2026) by Jean-Loup Samaan. How did a missile defense system become one of the most recognizable military technologies in the world—and what does its story tell us about the future of warfare in the Middle East? In this talk, MEI Senior Research Fellow Jean-Loup Samaan will present his new book, tracing back Iron Dome’s trajectory from a small military project to a national symbol and a central pillar of US–Israel defense cooperation. Drawing on fieldwork and interviews conducted across Israel and the United States, the book offers insights on a system that reshaped Israeli strategic culture and became deeply embedded in the country’s politics and national identity. During the talk, Samaan also addressed how the events of October 7, 2023, and the wars that followed exposed the limits of the “Iron Dome decade”—and what comes next for missile defense and deterrence in the region.  

[MEI Flagship Event] The U.S.–Israeli war against Iran, launched on 28 February, rapidly escalated into a broader conflict that drew Gulf states into the fray. Civilian infrastructure in Dubai, Doha, and the rest of the Arabian Peninsula was soon caught in the line of fire, transforming the crisis into a full-fledged regional war with far-reaching consequences for security, geopolitical alignments, and economic stability. Iran’s subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz sent shockwaves through global energy markets and threatened critical trade routes, with South-east Asia bearing the brunt of the turmoil. Against this backdrop, the Middle East Institute’s Annual Conference 2026 will convene three expert-led panels to examine the war’s global repercussions. The discussions assessed not only the immediate impact on the Middle East but also the broader implications for Singapore and the wider East and South-east Asian region. Mr Chan Chun Sing, Singapore’s Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence, opened the conference.

[MEI Flagship Event] The U.S.–Israeli war against Iran, launched on 28 February, rapidly escalated into a broader conflict that drew Gulf states into the fray. Civilian infrastructure in Dubai, Doha, and the rest of the Arabian Peninsula was soon caught in the line of fire, transforming the crisis into a full-fledged regional war with far-reaching consequences for security, geopolitical alignments, and economic stability. Iran’s subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz sent shockwaves through global energy markets and threatened critical trade routes, with South-east Asia bearing the brunt of the turmoil. Against this backdrop, the Middle East Institute’s Annual Conference 2026 will convene three expert-led panels to examine the war’s global repercussions. The discussions assessed not only the immediate impact on the Middle East but also the broader implications for Singapore and the wider East and South-east Asian region. Mr Chan Chun Sing, Singapore’s Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence, opened the conference.

[MEI Flagship Event] The U.S.–Israeli war against Iran, launched on 28 February, rapidly escalated into a broader conflict that drew Gulf states into the fray. Civilian infrastructure in Dubai, Doha, and the rest of the Arabian Peninsula was soon caught in the line of fire, transforming the crisis into a full-fledged regional war with far-reaching consequences for security, geopolitical alignments, and economic stability. Iran’s subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz sent shockwaves through global energy markets and threatened critical trade routes, with South-east Asia bearing the brunt of the turmoil. Against this backdrop, the Middle East Institute’s Annual Conference 2026 will convene three expert-led panels to examine the war’s global repercussions. The discussions assessed not only the immediate impact on the Middle East but also the broader implications for Singapore and the wider East and South-east Asian region. Mr Chan Chun Sing, Singapore’s Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence, opened the conference.

[MEI Flagship Event] The U.S.–Israeli war against Iran, launched on 28 February, rapidly escalated into a broader conflict that drew Gulf states into the fray. Civilian infrastructure in Dubai, Doha, and the rest of the Arabian Peninsula was soon caught in the line of fire, transforming the crisis into a full-fledged regional war with far-reaching consequences for security, geopolitical alignments, and economic stability. Iran’s subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz sent shockwaves through global energy markets and threatened critical trade routes, with South-east Asia bearing the brunt of the turmoil. Against this backdrop, the Middle East Institute’s Annual Conference 2026 will convene three expert-led panels to examine the war’s global repercussions. The discussions assessed not only the immediate impact on the Middle East but also the broader implications for Singapore and the wider East and South-east Asian region. Mr Chan Chun Sing, Singapore’s Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence, opened the conference.

Amid the ongoing armed conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, the Middle East is once again at the centre of global geopolitical transformation. Recent hostilities have disrupted energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz—one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints—underscoring the fragility of global supply chains and the strategic importance of the region. This online panel brings together leading experts to examine China’s evolving role in the Middle East in the context of ongoing crisis. How is Beijing navigating regional instability? What are the implications for energy security, great power competition, and the emerging multipolar order? Drawing on expertise in both Asian and Middle Eastern affairs, the discussion will offer timely and multidisciplinary insights into one of the most pressing geopolitical challenges today.

[In collaboration with ORF Middle East]   Since the start of the US-Israel operation against Iran, Gulf states have experienced an unprecedented number of missile and drone attacks carried out by the Iranian regime. The rapid escalation took by surprise countries that had been largely immune to Middle Eastern conflicts since Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1991. As the outcome of the war remains uncertain, Gulf states face numerous challenges such as protecting their citizens and residents from the ongoing threat of Iranian weapons and managing the economic impacts of the conflict. In the long term, the crisis is also likely to challenge key policy priorities, including their ability to implement much-needed social and economic reforms and reassess their heavy reliance on the US for stability. To explore these issues, MEI hosted a special webinar with analysts and scholars based in the region who will help us understand the possible trajectory of Gulf states during and after the war.

Attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran have prompted retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, hitting Israel and countries that host US bases in the region. Critics have argued that the operation is both illegal under US law without congressional approval and a violation of international law. Spillover effects are already emerging, with oil prices rising and Iran attempting to close the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that handles nearly a quarter of the world's seaborne oil trade. This dialogue jointly organised by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) and the Middle East Institute (MEI) will examine the geopolitical, legal, and economic questions arising from the crisis. What are the political implications of the conflict, not just for the Middle East, but for the rest of the world including Southeast Asia and Singapore?   Does this action by the US and Israel mean an upending of the basic tenets of international law? What does this mean for countries like Singapore?   What impact, both immediate and in the medium to long-term, could this have on trade with the Middle East and for businesses in general?

This webinar examines the evolving footprint of China’s Digital Silk Road in the Middle East. Drawing on recent research, the talk explores how Chinese technology firms, such as Huawei and Alibaba, have expanded their presence in the Middle East’s digital ecosystems through cloud infrastructure, AI applications, data-centre investments, and partnerships with local governments and firms. The lecture highlights how China’s digital expansion across Middle Eastern states, especially in the Gulf, has been shaped not only by commercial opportunities and local digital transformation agendas, but also by broader strategic considerations, including Beijing’s interest in securing long-term connectivity and anchoring its digital standards in the region. Join us to explore how China has built its digital footprint in the Middle East and why the Gulf has emerged as a key arena in the region’s digital transformation.