Down the ‘Rathole’: How a rapper channels Iran regime change discourse

New Atlanticist Mar 18, 2025

The Gaza cease-fire is over. What’s next from Israel, Hamas, and the US?

By Atlantic Council experts

In the early hours of March 18, Israel launched air strikes on Gaza, ending the two-month cease-fire. Atlantic Council experts answer pressing questions about the resumed conflict.
Conflict Israel
Down the ‘Rathole’: How a rapper channels Iran regime change discourse

New Atlanticist Mar 17, 2025

Enough carrots for Putin. For better negotiations, serve ‘maximum pressure’ instead.

By Benjamin L. Schmitt, Richard L. Morningstar, and Daniel Fried

Since Russia appears content for negotiations to move slowly, the Trump administration should turn up the pressure with new sanctions.
Conflict Economic Sanctions
Down the ‘Rathole’: How a rapper channels Iran regime change discourse

Issue Brief Mar 13, 2025

Present without impact? How the Middle East perceives China’s diplomatic engagement

By Jonathan Fulton

Despite economic advancements and high-profile diplomatic engagements, China’s influence remains largely economic rather than political, Jonathan Fulton argues.
China Economy & Business

Content

IranSource

Oct 12, 2021

Down the ‘Rathole’: How a rapper channels Iran regime change discourse

By Nahid Siamdoust

Both the content of Toomaj Salehi’s hard-hitting rap songs, as well as the debates they have produced, speak to a transformed Iranian media landscape.

Iran Middle East

UkraineAlert

Oct 11, 2021

Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy must prove he is serious about judicial reform

By Mykhailo Zhernakov, Nestor Barchuk

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's reputation as a reformer hinges on his ability to deliver on promises to transform Ukraine's discredited judiciary and achieve a breakthrough towards the rule of law in the country.

Corruption Political Reform

AC Selects

Oct 10, 2021

AC Selects: Best moments from the China Pathfinder launch

Week of October 10, 2021 In this week’s episode, Anna Ashton, Vice President, Government Affairs, US-China Business Council, Daniel H. Rosen, Founding partner, Rhodium Group, Tom Orlik, Chief Economist, Bloomberg Economics and Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General, OECD speak on the launch of the GeoEcon Center’s flagship China Pathfinder Project. Related events

Economy & Business Financial Regulation

In the News

Oct 10, 2021

Samad had an interview with Asharq News to discuss Taliban’s relationship with the US

By Atlantic Council

Afghanistan Human Rights

In the News

Oct 10, 2021

Kadhim quoted in Aljazeera on Iraq’s parliamentary elections

By Atlantic Council

Elections Iraq

In the News

Oct 10, 2021

Binnendijk and Vershbow in Defense News: Needed: A transatlantic agreement on European strategic autonomy

By Hans Binnendijk, Alexander Vershbow

Hans Binnendijk and Alexander Vershbow write that the United States should drop its objections, agree with its European allies on how to ensure that strategic autonomy results in greater European strategic responsibility, and then embed that agreement in both NATO’s new strategic concept and the European Union’s new strategic compass.

Arms Control China

In the News

Oct 9, 2021

Samad had an exclusive interview with Global News Canada to discuss Afghanistan under the Taliban 2.0 rule and how the world should respond to the country

By Atlantic Council

Afghanistan Human Rights

In the News

Oct 8, 2021

Schuman in Politico: What does Xi want?

By Atlantic Council

On October 8, 2021, Michael Schuman published an article in Politico exploring the answer to the question “What does Xi want?” and identifying how it will shape “everything from how we tackle climate change to the future of technology and whether the world tumbles into another age of superpower competition.”

China Politics & Diplomacy

Issue Brief

Oct 8, 2021

Global Britain: An American review

By Dame Karen Pierce, Max Bergmann, Peter Rough, Rachel Ellehuus, Yakov Feygin, Nate Sibley, Livia Godaert, Leah Scheunemann, Safa Shahwan Edwards, Margaret Jackson, Olivier-Remy Bel, Damir Marusic, Jörn Fleck, Julia Friedlander, Frances Burwell, James Batchik

What is happening to Britain in the world? Since 2016, when Brexit began with the United Kingdom’s shock “leave” vote to quit the European Union, the conversation has become almost impossible to have without entering into a fierce and polemical debate surrounding the country’s departure.

Economy & Business Politics & Diplomacy

IranSource

Oct 8, 2021

Iranian war games on the border with Azerbaijan were really a message to Israel

By Abbas Qaidari

The high self-confidence of Azerbaijani authorities today, the coldness of Tehran-Yerevan ties due to Iran’s support of Baku during the Nagoro-Karabakh conflict, and the growing influence of Turkey and Israel in the Caucasus have made Iranian officials concerned about the possibility of a limited conflict in the region.

Iran Middle East
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Experts

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Ivo Walinga

China Programme Officer, International Energy Agency

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Energy & Environment

Fellow

David H. Young

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Afghanistan Conflict

Staff

Bailey Galicia

Project Assistant

Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative GeoStrategy Initiative

Europe & Eurasia Extremism

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Jacobo Ramos Folch

Policy Manager, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Economy & Business

Fellow

Jeffrey Hovenier

Nonresident senior fellow

Europe Center

Croatian Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Fabio Petito

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Freedom and Prosperity Human Rights
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Events

Online Event Tue, May 13, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

Rethinking US policy options in Afghanistan
Afghanistan Economy & Business Human Rights Politics & Diplomacy
Online Event Fri, May 16, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

Lucian Kim on “Putin’s Revenge” and Russia’s war on Ukraine
Europe & Eurasia Human Rights Politics & Diplomacy Ukraine