Dafna Rand

The MIT-MENA Program launches “MENA Futures” series featuring regional expertise across multiples sectors.

Dafna Rand, the 2025–2026 Robert E. Wilhelm Fellow, discusses recent comments made by President Trump and the demands from the US and Iran in the midst of the Iran War.

Featured in our annual magazine, précis. A career diplomat, global policymaker, and scholar, Dafna Rand held senior roles in the US State Department prior to joining CIS as its Robert E Wilhelm Fellow. She describes her path to MIT, her current research, and the importance of bridging the policy world with academia.