Through our Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East and Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative, the Atlantic Council works with allies and partners in Europe and the wider Middle East to protect US interests, build peace and security, and unlock the human potential of the region.

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Meet our blogs

MENASource

MENASource follows movements across the region and provides news and analysis on current events, including a platform for Middle Eastern perspectives, among others, on major issues—economic, political, security, cultural—that are at stake in the post-Arab Spring era.  

IranSource

IranSource provides a holistic look at Iran’s internal dynamics, global and regional policies, and posture through unique analysis of current events and long-term, strategic issues related to Iran.

All commentary & analysis

New Atlanticist

Nov 13, 2020

How a Biden presidency could change US relations with the rest of the world

By Atlantic Council

We asked experts from around the Atlantic Council to preview what the election of Joe Biden as US president will mean for countries, big and small, all across the world. Here’s a quick spin around the globe as we preview what lies ahead for US foreign policy under Joe Biden:

Africa
East Asia

IranSource

Nov 13, 2020

A year after the November protests, human rights violators have not been held accountable in Iran

By Gissou Nia

Ideally, justice would be served by the Iranian leadership investigating violations and punishing perpetrators within their ranks. Unfortunately, that is not a realistic scenario.

Human Rights
Iran

IranSource

Nov 12, 2020

A Biden-Rouhani agreement can positively impact Iran’s political future

By Mehran Haghirian

If he manages to reach an agreement with the United States, President Hassan Rouhani will undoubtedly garner the support of the majority of Iranians like he did after signing an interim agreement in 2013. This will allow him to position himself as the person who finally resolved the dispute with the US after forty-two years.

Iran
Politics & Diplomacy

MENASource

Nov 11, 2020

How the Biden administration will impact Middle East economies

By Amjad Ahmad

The Biden administration will not be a panacea for Middle East economies but will certainly have a positive impact.

Elections
Middle East

IranSource

Nov 10, 2020

The US election was all Iranians talked about for the past week

By Holly Dagres

The Iranian establishment has repeatedly claimed that a Democrat or Republican wouldn’t matter for Iran, but the general Iranian population begged to differ as it watched the vote-counting process with bated breath.

Iran
Middle East

MENASource

Nov 9, 2020

Netanyahu must adapt to the new Washington

By Carmiel Arbit

The 2020 US presidential election may be the splash of cold water needed to chasten Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Iran
Middle East

IranSource

Nov 9, 2020

Nagorno-Karabakh: An unexpected conflict that tests and perplexes Iran

By Borzou Daragahi

More likely than not, a resurrection of a decades-old war on Iran’s sleepy northern border between two countries friendly to Iran was not high on the agenda of imminent threats—if on the list at all.

Iran
Middle East

Elections 2020

Nov 7, 2020

Joe Biden just won the presidency: What does that mean for America’s role in the world?

By Atlantic Council

Atlantic Council experts weigh in on what the outcome of the 2020 election means for US foreign policy and America’s role in the world.

Economy & Business
Elections

MENASource

Nov 5, 2020

Factbox: Iranian influence and presence in Syria

By Navvar Saban

This factbox presents a limited summary of Iran’s military and security power in Syria, revealing the extent of its sway over Syrian society and its economy.

Iran
Middle East

MENASource

Nov 5, 2020

Libyan ceasefire agreement faces hurdles due to foreign intervention

By Karim Mezran, Emadeddin Badi

There are virtually no coercion or accountability mechanisms that international stakeholders are committed to leveraging against domestic parties that are working to undermine the agreement with the support of foreign actors.

Libya
Middle East
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