ICGER Hosts Seminar on Fallout from Iran-Israel War ... Dr. Youssef: “We’re Likely to See Two More Rounds in the Coming Months”
ICGER – Beirut held a seminar titled “The Iran-Israel War: Consequences and Possibilities”, led by the Center’s director, Dr. Mohammad Walid Youssef. In attendance were over 20 academics, journalists, policy analysts, and members of the Center’s research team.
Hassan Hachem, ICGER editor-in-chief, opened the seminar with welcoming remarks. He noted that this event is part of a new bi-monthly series of seminars the Center will host to track and analyze pressing regional and global issues. Hachem presented ICGER’s key achievements since the beginning of 2025.
Moderating the discussion, Dr. Imad Ghannoum reflected on how the Middle East has long been the subject of intense speculation. “So much has been written and said that every opinion now seems like historical fact,” he said. “But much of it is neither rigorous nor grounded, and it is more ideology than insight.”
He added: “Today’s seminar is a chance to move beyond the noise, to seek clarity on one of the most consequential and dangerous episodes in the region’s recent history.”
In his keynote, Dr. Youssef outlined the broader strategic landscape of the Middle East. He highlighted the historical importance of the Persian and Khorasan regions as geopolitical buffer zones. When these zones are disrupted, he warned, instability tends to ripple outward, from Central Asia to Europe.
Commenting on the recent military confrontation between Iran and Israel, Dr. Youssef argued that while Israel may have scored a tactical victory, it failed to achieve a strategic one. Conversely, Iran suffered a tactical loss but retained its strategic footing.
Looking ahead, Youssef predicted that one or two further rounds of military engagement between Iran and Israel are likely before the end of 2025 or in early 2026. He also warned that the conflict could take on a more dangerous sectarian dimension, potentially igniting a wider Sunni-Shia confrontation across the region.
Beyond the Middle East, Youssef emphasized that the consequences of this war could reshape global geopolitics and international relations.
The seminar concluded with an open discussion. Dr. Youssef responded to audience queries in a lively and wide-ranging exchange.
