Middle East Programs Commentary & Analysis

From Twitter spats to island disputes, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have a bone to pick with each other

By Shahira Amin

Cairo’s relationship with its Gulf ally has become increasingly fractious in recent weeks after a Saudi official made clear that any future Gulf assistance ”will come with strings attached.”

What the opening of the Abrahamic Family House Synagogue in the UAE means for the Jewish community and the rest of the world

By Marcy Grossman

The Abrahamic Family House, a mosque, church, and synagogue all sharing a multi-faith campus in Abu Dhabi is about to make its worldwide debut, opening its doors to the general public on March 1.

Rehumanizing the dehumanized: Rethinking People-to-People exchanges in MENA

By Tom Vizel and George Stevens

People-to-people (P2P) exchanges have long been recognized as a crucial tool in promoting peace and resolving conflicts.

How legal actions against Russian aggression in Ukraine can serve as a model for other conflicts

By Celeste Kmiotek, Lisandra Novo

There is an unprecedented number of investigations and accountability efforts under way in response to Russia’s invasion. It’s a sign of success—but it also shows how victims of international crimes have unequal access to justice.

Leonardo CEO Alessandro Profumo on Italy’s role in unifying Europe and ‘selective decoupling’ from China

Profumo joins the Atlantic Council to share his perspective on the implications of Russia’s war in Ukraine for Europe, Italy, and the continent’s defense sector, how Leonardo has responded to the ongoing invasion, and its most recent expansion within the space sector.

Iran’s ‘women, life, freedom’ revolution has a manifesto. Here are the next steps.

By Shadi Sadr

Signed by twenty organizations and released on February 13, the manifesto gathered the support of many civil society organizations in Iran.

Iran’s economic future is uncertain. It’s no surprise why Raisi visited China.

By Jonathan Fulton

From February 14-16, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was in Beijing for his first foreign trip of the year and the first official visit to China for an Iranian leader in twenty years.

The Middle East in the US-India-China Strategic Triangle

By Atlantic Council

Raja Mohan joins us to discuss India’s role in geopolitics in the Middle East as well as the perspective of New Delhi on the influence of the US-China tug-of-war within the region, and provide some insights about maritime security in the Indian Ocean and the growing influence of mixed cultures in the Gulf.

Iraq needs to address the economy’s structural imbalances to halt the dinar’s volatility

By Ahmed Tabaqchali

The Iraqi government and the Central Bank of Iraq introduced a series of measures to create domestic demand for the Iraqi dinar and to accelerate the adoption of banking in the economy.

China-Iran relations are warming. Here’s what the rest of the world should know.

By Atlantic Council experts

While much of the world is focused on Chinese balloons violating US airspace, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi recently flew to Beijing to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.