WASHINGTON (June 12, 2025) – The Washington Post reported that U.S. embassies and military bases in the Middle East have withdrawn diplomats from the region amid rising tensions and fears of an Israeli attack on Iran.
The George Washington University has experts available to provide context and analysis on the region. To speak with an expert, please contact Media Relations Specialist Shannon Mitchell at shannon [dot] mitchell
gwu [dot] edu (shannon[dot]mitchell[at]gwu[dot]edu).
Sina Azodi, Professorial Lecturer at the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs. Azodi is an expert in international relations of the Middle East, Iranian Foreign Policy, U.S.-Iranian Relations, Nuclear non-proliferation, Iran’s nuclear program and Iranian politics.
Azodi discusses the threats of rising tensions between Iran and Israel, and his current research involves exploring the roots of the Iranian nuclear program and his dissertation focused on "Iran's Nuclear Program: A Struggle for Security and Modernity" traces the evolution of Iran's nuclear program.
Ambassador (ret) Gordon Gray, Kuwait Professor of Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Affairs at the George Washington University. Prior to joining the Elliott School of International Affairs, Gray served in the U.S. government for 35 years. From 2005-2008, Gray was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs where he was responsible for promoting U.S. interests in the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa.
-GW-
