U.S. and Iran Relations


UT Austin has foreign policy experts available to discuss escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, following the airstrike that killed prominent Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. Experts can discuss the current state of U.S./Iran relations and its implications for allies and the global community.

If you are seeking expertise on other subjects, please call University Media Relations at 512-471-3151 or consult our general Media Experts Guide.



U.S. and Iran Relations


Robert M Chesney

Robert M Chesney

Dean, School of Law , School of Law
+1 512 232 1120, rchesney@law.utexas.edu

Bobby Chesney is the associate dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas School of Law. In addition, he is the director of the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law, a University-wide research unit bridging across disciplines to improve understanding of international security issues.
In 2009, Professor Chesney served in the Justice Department. He also previously served the Intelligence Community as an associate member of the Intelligence Science Board and as a member of the Advanced Technology Board. In addition to his current positions at the University of Texas, he is  a member of the American Law Institute, and a senior editor for the Journal of National Security Law & Policy, and a former non-resident Senior Fellow of the Brookings Institution.

Media Contact: Wendy Schneider, wschneider@law.utexas.edu,

Paul  Edgar

Paul Edgar

Associate Director , Clements Center for National Security
, paul.edgar@austin.utexas.edu

Paul Edgar is the Associate Director of the William P. Clements, Jr. Center for National Security at the University of Texas-Austin. He holds a PhD in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures from the University of Texas and studies the historical origins of diplomacy, war, and strategy in pre-classical antiquity. He is also a philologist of several ancient languages. His public writing has appeared in Foreign PolicyTask & Purpose, and Capital Commentary. He is currently finishing his first book, an international diplomatic history of the Late Bronze Age. Before entering academia, Paul served more than 22 years as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army.

Michael W Mosser

Michael W Mosser

Director, Center for European Studies , Department of Government , College of Liberal Arts
+1 512 232 7280, mosserm@austin.utexas.edu

Michael Mosser is assistant professor of instruction with a joint appointment in the Department of Government, the Center for European Studies/European Union Center of Excellence (CES/EUCE), and the International Relations and Global Governance (IRG) program. He is also assistant director of the Center for European Studies (CES) at UT-Austin, as well as a Distinguished Scholar in the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law. He teaches courses in European and international security, European environmental policy, comparative and European politics, international organizations, and foreign policy analysis. 

Media Contact: Daniel Oppenheimer, oppenheimer@utexas.edu, 512-475-9712

Jeremi  Suri

Jeremi Suri

Professor , Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs
+1 512 475 7242, suri@austin.utexas.edu

Jeremi Suri is a professor in the university's Department of History and the LBJ School of Public Affairs. Suri is the author and editor of nine books on contemporary politics and foreign policy. His most recent book is "The Impossible Presidency: The Rise and Fall of America’s Highest Office." His other books include "Henry Kissinger and the American Century," "Liberty's Surest Guardian: American Nation-Building from the Founders to Obama," and "Foreign Policy Breakthroughs: Cases in Successful Diplomacy" (with Robert Hutchings). Professor Suri writes for major newspapers and magazines including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New York Daily News, The Dallas Morning News, The Houston Chronicle, The Boston Globe, Foreign Affairs, Fortune, The American Prospect, and Wired. He also writes for various online sites and blogs. He is a popular public lecturer, and he appears frequently on radio and television programs.  

Media Contact: Tori Yu, victoriajyu@austin.utexas.edu, 512-232-4054

Iranian Cultural Sites


Stephennie  Mulder

Stephennie Mulder

Associate Professor , Department of Art and Art History , College of Fine Arts
+1 512 471 5851, smulder@austin.utexas.edu

Stephennie Mulder is a specialist in Islamic art, architecture and archaeology. She received Iran’s World Prize for Book of the Year, as well as UT’s Hamilton Book Award Grand Prize in 2016 for her book The Shrines of the ‘Alids in Medieval Syria. She is the founder of Antiquities Action, a UT group that aims to raise awareness about cultural heritage issues, and is on the board of several heritage and preservation organizations.

Media Contact: Alicia Dietrich, aliciadietrich@utexas.edu, 512-232-3667

For more information, contact: University Communications, Office of the President, 512-471-3151.