Read takeaways from this discussion here.

A Staying Connected Series webcast on how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Iran's political future.

Iran has successfully weathered political and economic unrest over the years, though the damage wrought by COVID-19 threatens to turn out the people like never before. Join us as we discuss the state of Iran's economy, the regime's attempt to battle unrest, and the country's activity abroad.

Watch the full conversation below:

Featuring:

Hamed Behravan, Vice President of Independent Media, Internet Freedom and Iran Programs, DT Institute

Hamed Behravan is vice president at the DT Institute, where he designs and implements a broad range of innovative solutions that enable civil society activists and organizations in Iran and other closed societies push for tangible reforms and opening of the political and social spaces. DT Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting democracy, human rights, economic opportunity, and good governance in developing countries. Read more.

Dr. Alma Keshavarz, International Security Analyst, Institute for Politics and Strategy, Carnegie Mellon University

Alma Keshavarz is a Pacific Council member, an international security analyst and a post-doctoral fellow at the Institute for Politics and Strategy at Carnegie Mellon University, and an associate at Small Wars Journal. Read more.

Moderator:

Peter Theroux, Writer and Translator

Peter Theroux is a Pacific Council member and served as a political officer and translator in Iraq, Yemen, and Afghanistan; under Richard Haass on the State Department's Policy Planning Staff, at the White House as Director of Persian Gulf Affairs on the National Security Council (2003-05), and the New York's Joint Terrorism Task Force (2008-10). Read more.