Iran-Israel Temperature Rising: Geopolitical Implications in the Middle East and Southeast Asia
During the weekend ASLI co-hosted the TIGABATU Roundtable for Sociopolitical Exchange titled ‘Iran-Israel Temperature Rising: Geopolitical Implications in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.’
The talk featured Dr Rowena Abdul Razak, lecturer at the Queen Mary University of London, Syed Nizamuddin, diplomatic commentator & columnist as discussant and CEO of ASLI as moderator.
Dr Rowena discussed Iran’s domestic landscape and strategic thinking in the Middle Eastern region. She also gave an overview of the Islamic Republic’s historical involvement in the region, from its commitment to the Palestine cause and support for Shi’i groups involved in local conflicts.
The discussion yielded interesting questions about how the Iran-Israel conflict will affect the war in Gaza, the future of Iranian-Malaysian relations, as well as the growing multipolarity in the Middle East & Southeast Asian regions.
On the other hand, Syed Nizamuddin emphasised the critical role of public diplomacy in today’s information-rich world, arguing that Malaysia must blend traditional diplomacy with robust public engagement. He shared how an uninformed public can influence political decisions, potentially affecting foreign policy outcomes. His discussion underscored the importance and challenges of navigating complex regional politics through effective public diplomacy.
We thank Liberal Latte for providing the space of our discussion, and we thank the audiences that filled up our venue to the fullest!
Watch the session here: https://youtu.be/jLnaOjquarM
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