Iran in Focus: charting a path for the future

The US-Israel surprise airstrikes on Iran, which began in late February 2026, have set in motion a series of devastating and far-reaching consequences for the country, the broader region and the world at large. What the White House hoped would be a short ‘Venezuela-style’ campaign has given rise to a crisis that has since escalated considerably, both in scale and scope. The Iranian population is the first victim of this new war, even as casualties, damage and destruction have extended across the Gulf States – and as far as EU and NATO territory.  

While there can be no certainties in war – especially in asymmetric warfare – some lessons are becoming apparent: the Iranian political regime has proved more resilient than expected, as has Iran’s capacity to strike using ballistic missiles and drones. US security guarantees to the Gulf States are proving fragile at best, and divisions among NATO allies can be observed. Amidst all this, we should not lose sight of the human dimension. Thousands have already lost their lives, and the death toll is likely to further increase as no immediate end is in sight. Identifying the best ways of cross-border cooperation is therefore not just a prerequisite for future regional stability, but also a moral imperative to alleviate human suffering.   

This latest instalment of our ‘Iran in Focus’ series welcomes Negar Mortazavi, Host and Producer of The Iran Podcast and Friends of Europe European Young Leader (EYL40), in conversation with Dharmendra Kanani, Director of Policy & Programmes and Chief Spokesperson at Friends of Europe, to discuss the current “state of play” of the war, explore where Iran and regional actors may go from here, and consider what a renewed conflict across the Middle East means for Europe and global (in)stability.  

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Related content:

• Insight | Bringing Iran in from the cold: is there an opportunity here? by Jamie Shea, Senior Fellow for Peace, Security and Defence at Friends of Europe (December 2025)
• Insight | Regime change in the Middle East: here we go again by Jamie Shea, Senior Fellow for Peace, Security and Defence at Friends of Europe (March 2026)

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