Online Briefing with H.E. Dr. Khalil Shirgholami, Ambassador of Iran to Armenia and Dr. Nabi Sonboli, a Senior Expert at the Institute for Political and International Studies, 30 March 2026

On 30 March 2026, Forward Thinking convened an online briefing with H.E. Dr. Khalil Shirgholami, Ambassador of Iran to Armenia and former Director General for Research at the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS), and Dr. Nabi Sonboli, a Senior Expert at IPIS. The session provided an assessment of the rapidly evolving situation in Iran and the surrounding region.

The briefing centred on the domestic and regional consequences of the escalating conflict, including the impact of strikes on civilian and energy infrastructure. Participants explored the divergence in strategic objectives between international actors and the long-term regional consequences of the ongoing instability.

The speakers addressed the concerns of neighbouring states in the West Asia and Gulf region, highlighting the collective risks posed by the expansion of the conflict.

The meeting was attended by foreign ministry officials, parliamentarians, and media from Forward Thinking’s network.