On 20 March 2024, Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies faculty comprising of Academic Dean Dr. Roger Kangas, Dr. Gawdat Bahgat, Professor Richard Wiersema, and Associate Dean Charles Marks participated in a roundtable discussion at the Institute of Oriental Studies in Yerevan, Armenia. The international roundtable, titled “Perspectives on the Middle East in Transition: Dynamics of Change,” featured a four-person panel, where two presentations were delivered by representatives from the NESA Center, and an additional two presentations were provided by members of the Institute of Oriental Studies. The following topics were presented:

• Levon Haovsepyan on “Turkey’s Role in the South Caucasus after 44-day war of 2020”
• Professor Richard Wiersema on “Collective Security in the South Caucasus”
• Arax Pashayan on “Transformations of Azerbaijan-Saudi Relations and Iranian Factor”
• Gawdat Bahgat on “Gaza War and the South Caucasus”

This marks the second occasion within two years at the institute in conjunction with strategic dialogues conducted with the Armenian National Defense Research University. Discussion sessions are integral to fostering academic collaboration and enhancing regional understanding. As such, it is anticipated that a similar event will be held 2025.

The views presented in this article are those of the speaker or author and do not necessarily represent the views of DoD or its components.