About this Event
About the Lecture:
From 2018 to 2023, Emad Shargi was unjustly imprisoned and held hostage by the Islamic Republic of Iran—an experience that gave him a rare, firsthand view into the inner workings of one of the world’s most opaque and dangerous regimes. Now, as open conflict between the United States, Isreal and Iran reshapes the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East, Shargi offers a unique perspective on the ideology, dysfunction, and survival instincts of the regime that once held him captive. Drawing on his personal experience and observations, he will examine how the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has sustained a system marked by internal chaos, economic devastation, and repression at home while projecting instability across the region. With Iran now at the center of a widening war involving the United States and its allies—following strikes on Iranian leadership, military infrastructure, and retaliatory attacks across the region—Shargi will explore what this moment may mean for Iran’s future, the durability of the regime, and whether the political map of the Middle East may soon be redrawn.
About the Speaker:
Emad Shargi is an Iranian-American businessman, entrepreneur, writer, and keynote speaker with more than three decades of international experience in private equity, venture capital, global distribution, and aviation. Over the course of his career, he has held senior executive and advisory roles across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, focusing on strategic expansion, investment development, and building cross-border partnerships in emerging markets.
Shargi began his entrepreneurial career in 1992 when he founded Dubex Group, an international distributor of American petrochemical raw materials throughout the Middle East. Under his leadership, the company secured exclusive distribution agreements with major multinational firms including GE Plastics, Chevron Chemical, and Georgia Gulf Corporation. His international business experience later expanded into private equity and aviation through senior leadership roles with Strategic Initiative Capital Partners in Abu Dhabi, where he served as Managing Partner and CEO of the firm’s aviation division. In that role, he led international aircraft transactions and helped guide the firm’s investment strategy across aviation, retail, and distribution markets in Europe and the Middle East.
His career was abruptly interrupted in 2018 when he was wrongfully imprisoned and held hostage by the Islamic Republic of Iran during a family visit.During nearly five years of captivity, Shargi endured prolonged isolation, psychological pressure, and profound uncertainty. His experience navigating extreme adversity became the foundation for his work today. Since returning to the United States in 2023, he has become a sought-after speaker and commentator on resilience, leadership under pressure, hostage diplomacy, and the human dimensions of geopolitical conflict.
Shargi has appeared on 60 Minutes and CNN, and has been featured on leading foreign policy and security podcasts including those produced by the Middle East Institute, Restricted Handling, and The SuperPower Podcast. Through his writing and speaking, he provides audiences with a rare perspective at the intersection of global business, geopolitical risk, and the resilience required to endure and lead through extreme uncertainty.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
The Institute of World Politics, Commodore Barry Room, 1521 16th Street Northwest, Washington, United States
USD 0.00 to USD 1068.91
