With Professor Abbas Edalat. The new government in Iran, the war in Syria and the impact of Isis in both Syria and Iraq have dramatically changed the geopolitical situation in the Middle East and it is now clear that the west can no longer ignore the importance of Iran in the region. At the same time a further round of negotiation about Iran's nuclear programme is still In progress with no certainty as to its outcome. Abbas Edalat is a Professor at Imperial College and the founder of The Campaign against Sanctions and Military intervention in Iran. He will explore the ideological roots of the Sunni extreme fundamentalism and the Sunni-Shia sectarian conflict in the Muslim world which has erupted to an unprecedented level following the US led invasion of Iraq in 2003. He will also look at how the fast changing political situation has had an impact on Iran's relationship with the West and whether a new understanding is now possible or likely.

Nearest tube station Farringdon. 6.45pm (doors open 6.30).