On May 7, 2026, the 15th of the Middle East Studies Society of the Middle East Studies Institute (MESI) of Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) was held at Songjiang Campus. Assistant Researcher Fellow Wen Shaobiao of the MESI at SISU was invited to give a lecture titledThe U.S.-Israel-Iran Conflict and Its Implications Against the Backdrop of the Transformation of the Security Order in the Middle East. The lecture was hosted by Assistant Research Fellow Zhao Jing of the MESI at SISU. Graduate students and international students attended this lecture.
Wen pointed out that the transformation of the security order in the Middle East began with the U.S. strategic contraction in 2009, followed by the power vacuum and fragmentation after the Arab Spring, and was further accelerated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022 and the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran in late February 2026. He also analyzed the positions of the U.S., Israel, and Iran; the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz; the current negotiation deadlock; and the future trajectory of Iran's situation. He argued that the U.S. would strengthen its hegemony in the Middle East, the security environments of Israel and Iran would undergo major changes, the economic transformation of Gulf states would be adversely affected, the regional influence of Turkey and Pakistan would rise, and the great power rivalry in the Middle East would become more intense. Finally, an interactive discussion was held with the audience.
The Middle East Studies Society is an important platform established by the MESI at SISU. It focuses on Middle East affairs and area studies, promoting interdisciplinary dialogue.
