The Crisis in Iran and Its Implications for Syria

The protests in Iran pose a challenge to the legitimacy of the Islamic Republic. Ironically, this grave threat arises just as Iran has reached the apex of its influence in the Middle East. It now exercises considerable sway over four Arab countries, the most important of which is Syria. On Wednesday, January 10, Hudson Institute hosted a discussion examining the state of play in Iran and its impact on the conflict in Syria. To help us understand the Syrian dimension of the question, we were honored to host Dr. Kamal al-Labwani, a Syrian native and a physician. Dr. al-Labwani is a prominent Syrian dissident. Reuel Marc Gerecht analyzed the Iranian aspects of the problem, and Hudson Senior Fellow Michael Doran moderated the discussion.