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Young Professionals: "Iranian Drones Evolved: How Western Sanctions Created a Drone Superpower"

July 9, 2026 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM (PDT)

Description

Iranian Drones Evolved: How Western Sanctions Created a Drone Superpower

Los Angeles World Affairs Council (LAWAC) Young Professionals Program

Date: Thursday, July 9
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Location: Veterans Memorial Building (4117 Overland Ave, Culver City, CA 90230)

Over the past two decades, Iran has emerged as a significant force in drone technology despite facing some of the world’s most restrictive sanctions regimes. Rather than constraining development, sanctions and global isolation have driven Iran to innovate domestically, building a system centered on low-cost manufacturing, adaptability, and scalable production. Today, Iranian drones are playing an increasingly visible role in conflicts across the Middle East and beyond, reflecting a broader transformation in how modern wars are fought.

This program will examine how sanctions inadvertently contributed to the rise of Iran’s drone capabilities and what this means for global security. Panelists will explore the evolution of unmanned aerial systems in warfare, including their use in surveillance, asymmetric combat, and influence operations. The discussion will also consider how drone technology is being leveraged to document war crimes and support accountability efforts, underscoring the dual-use nature of these tools in contemporary conflict environments.

Featured Speaker

Dr. Benjamin Radd
UCLA Professor and Senior Fellow, Burkle Center for International Relations

Benjamin Radd, PhD (UCLA 2015) JD (Stanford 2003), is a Political Scientist and Senior Fellow at the UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations, and an expert on government and politics of the Middle East, US foreign policy, and comparative law.

Dr. Radd is also a professor at the UCLA School of Law and adjunct professor at the USC Gould School of Law, where he lectures on American legal development and constitutional law and politics.

His latest research focuses on political communication, public and private diplomacy, and the rhetoric of propaganda.

In addition to his teaching duties, Dr. Radd is the Founder and CEO of Fascination Lab — an educational and experiential learning consulting firm. In 2023, he was hired to design a political crisis simulation that was filmed and released as an award-winning documentary called “War Game”, which was selected to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and was a New York Times film pick for 2024 (available on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video).

Dr. Radd is a frequent media contributor and commentator, with appearances on CNN, the BBC, NPR, FOX News, NBC, ABC, CBS, and the Los Angeles Times.

Moderator

Mark Kahanding
LAWAC Young Professionals Board Member

Founder & CEO, Cobalt Academy LLC

U.S. Army Field Artillery Officer (ADA Experience)

Twelve years in the California Army National Guard. Mark enlisted as a 68W Combat Medic and served across the 1-160th Infantry, 1-144th Field Artillery, and 1-185th Infantry battalions before commissioning as a Field Artillery officer with Air Defense Artillery experience. He served as the Charlie Battery Fire Direction Officer with the 1-144th Field Artillery.

He was one of the first officers in the California Army National Guard to experience drone warfare firsthand, with deployments to Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait. Within his first 10 days in country, his actions during a hostile drone attack helped save 100+ Syrian and American personnel, earning him the Combat Action Badge. He was later awarded the Army Commendation Medal with "C" Device (initially recommended for the Bronze Star) for developing 40+ intelligence briefs on drone threats for U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).

Mark is a published author and the writer behind Eyes in the Skies, a drone and national security publication with 1,600+ subscribers followed by senior defense leaders including Gen. (Ret.) David Petraeus. He serves on the board of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council Young Professionals, holds an M.A. in Government from Johns Hopkins University (published thesis) and a B.S. in Business Administration from California State University, Los Angeles. Today he serves as an FAA Part 107 remote pilot, a CUAS subject matter expert and consultant, and the Founder & CEO of Cobalt — the defense startup behind this academy.

Pricing

LAWAC YP Members: $15

Non-Members: $25

Young Professionals Members are those who hold an active membership and are between the ages of 18-40

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Contact Information

Los Angeles World Affairs Council
Name: Los Angeles World Affairs Council
Phone: (424) 258-6160
Email: info@lawac.org

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Young Professionals: "Iranian Drones Evolved: How Western Sanctions Created a Drone Superpower"

July 9, 2026 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM (PDT)

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Young Professionals: "Iranian Drones Evolved: How Western Sanctions Created a Drone Superpower"

July 9, 2026 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM (PDT)

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