Inside Intelligence: "The Islamic Republic of Iran: Is This the Beginning of the End?"

Description

Join moderator Michael Ard, director of the MS in Intelligence Analysis program, for an Inside Intelligence webinar titled "The Islamic Republic of Iran: Is This the Beginning of the End?" Alex Vatanka, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, and Scott Modell, CEO at Rapidan Energy Group, will join in a discussion on the current events in the Middle East, specifically the conflict between Iran and Israel.

About the Speakers

Alex Vatanka is a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute where he specializes in Middle Eastern regional security affairs, with a particular focus on Iran. He was formerly a senior analyst at Jane's Information Group in London. Vatanka is also a senior fellow in Middle East studies at the U.S. Air Force Special Operations School at Hurlburt Field and teaches as an adjunct professor at DISAS at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. He has testified before the U.S. Congress and lectured widely for both governmental and commercial audiences, including the U.S. Departments of State and Defense, U.S. intelligence agencies, and a list of international corporations. Born in Tehran, Vatanka holds a bachelor's degree in political science (Sheffield University, UK), and a master's degree in international relations (Essex University, UK), and is fluent in Farsi and Danish. He is the author of two books: The Battle of the Ayatollahs in Iran: The United States, Foreign Policy, and Political Rivalry Since 1979 (2021) and Iran and Pakistan: Security, Diplomacy, and American Influence (2015). He is presently working on his third book, Iran's Arab Strategy: Defending the Homeland or Exporting Khomeinism?

Since 2022, Scott Modell has served as CEO at Rapidan, an independent energy market, policy, and geopolitical analysis firm, where he shapes the company's vision, manages day-to-day operations, and focuses on strategic outreach. Prior to serving as CEO, Modell held roles at Rapidan as a senior advisor and managing director from 2015 to 2022. He has been a partner at the firm since 2015. Modell is a talented and seasoned expert on Iran and the broader Middle East and offers unparalleled insight into geopolitical- and energy-related developments and trends in that region, as well as in Latin America and Europe. He is a highly decorated former CIA officer who served for 13 years in the Directorate of Operations, with five tours conducting operations in Latin America, Western Europe, and the Middle East. Modell also participated in post-9-11 operations in Afghanistan, serving on the battlefields in the southern and southeastern regions of the country as a member of paramilitary counterterrorism teams composed of CIA officers and local Afghan forces. Modell was a non-resident fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, focusing on security issues related to Iran and the Middle East, and a senior advisor to U.S. Special Operations Command on counter threat finance operations. He is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, from where he received his Master of Arts from the School of Foreign Service, and is fluent in Spanish, Farsi, and Portuguese.

Johns Hopkins is committed to ensuring an inclusive and accessible experience for all participants. To request additional accessibility for this event, please email aapevents@jhu.edu.

Zoom meetings and webinars automatically provide live captioning.