Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East Programs

The next generation of Iranian women dare to imagine a future with freedom. This is what they want us to see. 

By Rosa Rahimi

Iranians are demanding very un-audacious things: to own their own bodies; to live in a country where their mothers don’t feel compelled to risk their own lives out of hope their daughters may lead freer ones; to wear what they like to breakfast.

US missile defense can put a stop to the Middle East arms race

By Alex Elnagdy

Coupling missile-defense assistance with missile and bomb reductions can help the US break free of its short-sighted Middle East policies of the past.

Arab Barometer and Perceptions of China in MENA

By Atlantic Council

Michael Robbins joins us to discuss the region's perception of China based on the Arab Barometer's surveys conducted in MENA, and the different perspectives of the general public versus the elite—as the latter tends to be more favorable toward Beijing.

The New Middle East is dismissing great power competition—for now 

By Jean-Loup Samaan

The more local actors grow confident about their own autonomy, the less tempted they will be to align themselves on the agenda of another external power.

Ex-empires Iran and Russia forge new bonds as both blame their woes on the West

By Barbara Slavin

From a societal level, Russia and Iran would seem to have little in common. However, the West, Russian and Iranian rulers jointly believe, want to overthrow their regimes, and don’t care if the alternative is chaos.

AC Selects: Addressing Jordan and Egypt’s economic challenges and China’s unprecedented third term presidency

Last week, Jordan’s Minister of Finance, Mohamad Al-Ississ and Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Hala H. Elsaid sat down with the EmpowerME initiative to discuss challenges and potential areas of growth for their economic and financial sectors. The GeoEconomics Center and Global China hub hosted two panels of experts to examine the 20th […]

Italy recently elected a far-right leader. Here’s how the Arab world reacted to the news.

By Karim Mezran, Nour Dabboussi

Giorgia Meloni’s government should carefully consider how it handles its nationalistic discourse to avoid any Islamophobic controversies that could ultimately spark a blowback of condemnations from its allies in the Arab world.

An American martyred himself for the people of Iran. Here’s his story.

By Reza Aslan

The memory of Howard Baskerville and his sacrifice has been all but lost in both Iran and America.

By killing Mahsa Amini, the Islamic Republic has created millions of Medeas

By John Limbert

Iran’s obli­vious aging rulers have, like Jason, gone too far. Now they must face a million Medeas with no thought of forgiving and determined to have their revenge. 

Egypt has made some progress on human rights and the environment in preparation for COP27. But there’s still more to be done.

By Shahira Amin

Skeptics are questioning Egypt's leadership of the climate talks, citing human rights concerns and unideal environmental policies.