The Saudi & GCC Security Project will be kicking off it's first seminar of the semester with Norman Roule, who will be giving a lecture on "Iran and its Interventions in the Middle East." Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, Director of Intelligence and Defense Projects, will moderate.
Norman T. Roule served as the National Intelligence Manager for Iran (NIM-I) at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence from November 2008 until September 2017. He is currently in the process of retiring from federal service. As NIM-I, he was the principal Intelligence Community (IC) official responsible for overseeing all aspects of national intelligence policy and activities related to Iran, to include IC engagement on Iran issues with senior policy makers in the National Security Council and the Department of State.
During his 34-year career in the IC and in addition to Iran, Mr. Roule has managed numerous programs relating to the wider Middle East. He has held multiple senior assignments in Washington as well as during his 15 years working overseas.
Mr. Roule worked with five U.S. Presidents and multiple cabinet officials as well as with senior policy, military, and security officials in Europe and the Middle East. He has had extensive engagement with senior U.S. military commanders, as well as senior officials at the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and the Department of the Treasury. Mr. Roule has conducted hundreds of Congressional briefings, to include all-Senate and all-House sessions.
In addition to his regional expertise, Mr. Roule has extensive experience with counterintelligence, counterproliferation, counterterrorism, cyber, and sanctions issues relating to the region. As NIM-I, he initiated and led numerous multi-agency programs which produced tailored analytic and collection products to enable policy makers across several administrations to understand geopolitical developments and navigate international challenges in a turbulent region.
Mr. Roule received multiple awards during his career. In recognition of his impact on national security, President Barack Obama personally awarded him with the George Washington Spymaster Award. Other recognition has included the Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Senior Intelligence Service Officer, the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, the National Intelligence Superior Service Medal, the Central Intelligence Agency’s Director’s Award, and the National Geospatial Agency Medallion for Excellence.
Mr. Roule was born and raised in southwestern Pennsylvania. He attended Washington and Jefferson College (Washington, Pennsylvania) where he obtained a B. A. in History with an emphasis on interwar diplomatic history.
