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Issue Brief

Nov 20, 2017

Partners or competitors? The future of the Iran-Russia power tandem in the Middle East

By John Herbst

Ambassador John Herbst, director of the Atlantic Council’s Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center, writes in a new issue brief entitled Partners or Competitors? The Future of the Iran-Russia Power Tandem in the Middle East that Russia and Iran are currently drawn into partnership over common regional interests and anti-American policies and sentiments despite centuries of historical […]

Iran Politics & Diplomacy

In the News

Nov 17, 2017

Hellyer Quoted in The Atlantic on Saudi Arabia and Islam

By H.A. Hellyer

Read the full article here.

Saudi Arabia

MENASource

Nov 15, 2017

Western foreign policy and the dignity of the Arab world: Interview with Dr. H.A. Hellyer

By MENASource

Following a recent controversy where a British journalist at a conference in Egypt casually implied that the peoples of the Arab world were more culturally inured towards restrictions on press freedom, we discussed the issue of democracy and Arab culture with Atlantic Council’s senior non-resident fellow, Dr. H.A. Hellyer. “That journalist asserted that people shouldn’t […]

Middle East

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Nov 15, 2017

The Kremlin’s Trojan Horses 2.0

By Atlantic Council

Russian influences in Greece, Italy, and Spain “Russia’s interference in the US presidential election in 2016 sent a signal to the West: democratic societies are deeply vulnerable to foreign influence,” writes Dr. Alina Polyakova in The Kremlin’s Trojan Horses 2.0: Russian Influence in Greece, Italy, and Spain, a new report from the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia […]

Issue Brief

Nov 9, 2017

Iran’s bottom line in Afghanistan

By Alex Vatanka

Due to proximity and historical ties, no other country is as well placed as Iran to play a dominant role in Afghan society, as Middle East Institute senior fellow Alex Vatanka shows in his new paper, Iran’s Bottom Line in Afghanistan. However, Tehran is focused on short-term tactical gains at the expense of a sustainable, […]

Afghanistan Iran

In the News

Nov 8, 2017

Hellyer in The National: We Mustn’t Use Pseudo-orientalism as an Excuse for Inaction in the Arab World

By H.A. Hellyer

Read the full article here.

balkans header

Balkans Forward

Nov 7, 2017

A Coming Storm? Shaping a Balkan Future in an Era of Uncertainty

Although the Western Balkan region has made significant progress in its efforts to integrate into the wider transatlantic community, inspired and guided by its commitment to eventual membership in the European Union (EU), NATO, and other global institutions, that progress is now at risk. The conference will seek to generate new ideas and policy-relevant proposals […]

Europe & Eurasia Southern & Southeastern Europe

Balkans Forward

Nov 7, 2017

Balkans Forward

The Atlantic Council’s Balkans Forward Initiative is a unique, coordinated effort to foster a democratic, secure, and prosperous Western Balkans firmly integrated into the transatlantic community. Our work seeks to reinvigorate US engagement in the region, promote more effective US-European leadership, foster dialogue among key actors across the region, and cultivate a new generation of decision-makers and […]

Europe & Eurasia Southern & Southeastern Europe

In the News

Nov 7, 2017

Hellyer Quoted in the Guardian on Social Reforms in Saudi Arabia

By H.A. Hellyer

Read the full article here.

Saudi Arabia

MENASource

Nov 2, 2017

Saudi’s ‘reforms’: Interview with Dr. H.A. Hellyer

By MENASource

The Saudi Arabian Crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, recently declared that the kingdom sought a ‘return’ to the ‘moderate Islam’ of pre-1979. The international media understandably paid a great deal of attention—but how significant is this? Martin Chulov, the Guardian’s Middle East Correspondent, asked our non-resident senior fellow, Dr HA Hellyer, some questions about it—the […]

Human Rights Political Reform

Events