MENASource

As the MENA region continues to be the epicenter of news headlines, the Atlantic Council’s MENASource is a hub for thought-provoking and hard-hitting analyses about the latest trends, ideas, and debates. This online publication provides fast reactions and in-depth commentary on breaking news and key regional topics by a diverse team of experts and contributors.

MENASource brings you up-close to a region at the epicenter of geo-political headlines. It is the Atlantic Council’s hub for in-depth commentary about breaking news, key topics, and trends from our team of experts on the Middle East and North Africa.

The views expressed in MENASource are solely those of the authors and do not reflect the views of the Atlantic Council, its staff, or its supporters.

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Peace, pacts, and recognition: Saudi Arabia at the forefront of a new Middle East

MENASource Jan 14, 2026

Voices from Iran: As rejection of government reaches all-time high, Iranians also wary of foreign intervention

If Trump is serious about peace, stability, and a lasting legacy, the path forward does not run through air strikes or transactional deals with a failing theocracy.

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Peace, pacts, and recognition: Saudi Arabia at the forefront of a new Middle East

MENASource Jan 28, 2026

Trump’s National Security Strategy doesn’t downgrade the Middle East, it redefines it

By Kristian Alexander

Trump’s strategy is a sophisticated refinement of “America First.” For the Gulf, the implications are significant, but manageable.

Middle East National Security
Peace, pacts, and recognition: Saudi Arabia at the forefront of a new Middle East

MENASource Jan 13, 2026

Eight questions (and expert answers) on the SDF’s withdrawal from Syria’s Aleppo

By Atlantic Council experts

Our experts unpack why violence erupted, what it means for Kurdish safety and integration in Syria, and how Washington is engaging.
Civil Society Conflict

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Content

MENASource

Nov 18, 2025

Peace, pacts, and recognition: Saudi Arabia at the forefront of a new Middle East

By R. Clarke Cooper

Trump and other US officials remain eager to add Saudi Arabia to the Abraham Accords rota and to strike a defense pact.

Middle East Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

MENASource

Nov 14, 2025

The UN’s Western Sahara vote marks a diplomatic ‘Green March’

By Sarah Zaaimi

Morocco's autonomy plan lays the foundation for resolution for the Sahrawi people, after fifty years of rivalry between Morocco and Algeria.

Human Rights International Organizations

MENASource

Nov 13, 2025

Moses parts the Red Sea: Israel’s strategic challenges as new routes emerge

By Amit Yarom

A new $4 billion bridge across the Strait of Tiran could upend plans to physically integrate Israel into the Middle East.

Economy & Business Israel

MENASource

Nov 10, 2025

A little-discussed point in Trump’s Gaza plan could be an opportunity to build interfaith understanding

By Peter Mandaville

Peace efforts don’t need more gleaming Abrahamic baubles, they need a genuine commitment to supporting grassroots religious peacebuilding.

Civil Society Freedom and Prosperity

MENASource

Nov 10, 2025

The Nile at a crossroads: Navigating the GERD dispute as Egypt’s floodwaters rise

By Alessia Melcangi

The latest escalation between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia coincides with a diplomatic shift from the United States.

Africa Climate Change & Climate Action

Trackers and Data Visualizations

Nov 9, 2025

Tracking Iraq’s 2025 elections and coalition building

By Victoria J. Taylor, Nibras Basitkey, and Daniah Jarrah

Keep up with what our experts want you to know about the Iraqi elections and the coalition building that follows.

Elections Iraq

MENASource

Nov 7, 2025

The important change needed in UNSC’s Gaza resolution: Control over the money

By Thomas S. Warrick

Taking the money away from Hamas is the best nonmilitary way to ensure Hamas is unable to rebuild and rearm.

International Norms International Organizations

MENASource

Nov 7, 2025

Kazakhstan joins the Abraham Accords—and redefines the geography of peace

By Joseph Epstein

While some have dismissed an expansion to Central Asia as “largely symbolic” this interpretation overlooks deeper implications.

Central Europe Europe & Eurasia

MENASource

Nov 5, 2025

Why China is here to stay in Iraq’s energy sector

By Jared Levy and Ben Van Heuvelen

Regardless of the specific makeup of the next Iraqi government, it is likely that Chinese firms will continue to enjoy an advantage.

Elections Iraq

MENASource

Nov 4, 2025

Twelve questions (and expert answers) on the Iraq elections

By Atlantic Council experts

Iraq is set to hold elections on November 11. Our experts unpack the key questions looming over the landmark vote.

Elections Iraq
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