Ambassador Barbara Leaf Discusses Iran Conflict on MS Now
Arnold & Porter Senior International Policy Advisor and former U.S. Ambassador Barbara Leaf (Amb. Leaf) appeared on MS Now to discuss the ongoing conflict in Iran and its implications for political and economic stability in the Middle East and around the globe.
Addressing Iran’s response to recent U.S. and Israeli strikes, Amb. Leaf said Tehran’s actions were largely predictable following the 12-day war last June and suggested Iran has been preparing for a second phase of confrontation. She also noted that efforts to disrupt Gulf stability—and the global economy—would be “very difficult to defend against.”
Amb. Leaf also questioned the Trump Administration’s rationale for the strikes, citing inconsistent messaging about the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program, which she said had “disappeared completely” from their communications. She added that efforts to eliminate the nuclear program and the highly enriched uranium believed to be stored in Iran would be difficult to accomplish through military strikes.
She concluded by calling attention to the absence of any attempt at a diplomatic solution prior to the operation, stating: “What was missing was a sustained and serious diplomatic negotiating effort.”
