The Iran nuclear agreement, which lifted most economic sanctions in exchange for Iran’s agreement to limit its nuclear capabilities, will be a much needed boost for that country’s economy. But there are lingering questions.
A panel of experts will discuss the potential impact on the United States – including the impact on energy markets – at the University of Houston later this month.
“Energy Policy: Did the U.S. Win or Lose in the Iran Nuclear Deal?” will begin at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15, at the Student Center South Houston Room. The event is free and open to the public but registration is encouraged. Click here to register and for more information.
There has been debate about the political wisdom of engaging with a country whose leaders have expressed enmity against the United States. But Ramanan Krishnamoorti, interim vice president/vice chancellor for research and technology transfer at UH, said there are also questions about what normalizing global relations with a country sitting on vast reserves of crude oil and natural gas will mean for the United States, which has recently approved exporting both natural gas and oil.
“At each layer, there is a global good … but there are also a variety of challenges,” said Krishnamoorti, who also is chief energy officer at UH.
The panelists include:
- Sara Vakhshouri, founder and president, SVB Energy International, an energy consulting firm based in Washington, D.C. Vakhshouri worked in the Iranian energy industry from 2000-2008 and is an internationally recognized expert in global energy markets, energy security and geopolitical risk.
- Anthony Cordesman, Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy at the Center for Strategic & International Studies. His most recent books include “The Global Oil Market: Risks and Uncertainties” and “The Iranian Sea-Air-Missile Threat to Gulf Shipping.”
- Cliff Kupchan, chairman and practice head at Eurasia Group. Kupchan focuses on Iranian nuclear and foreign policy, Iranian domestic politics and international sanctions on Iran, in addition to his work on Russian policy and its energy sector.
Chris Tomlinson, business columnist for the Houston Chronicle, will serve as moderator. Emran El-Badawi, director of the Arab Studies Program at UH, will moderate a question-and-answer session after the presentation.
The Houston Chronicle and Houston Public Media serve as media sponsors of the event, the third in the 2015-16 Energy Symposium Series: Critical Issues in Energy. A reception, sponsored by PKF Texas, will follow.
The series, produced by UH Energy, will end March 29 with a discussion on the future of personal transportation.