Middle East Programs Commentary & Analysis

Our blogs feature thoughtful reflections and opinions on current events in the Middle East & North Africa.

Through our Middle East Programs, 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

MENASource

Oct 21, 2021

A return to a constitutional monarchy may solve Libya’s problems

By Mustafa El Sagezli

When it comes to choosing their next chapter, some Libyans have already identified a promising path forward: restoring the 1951 constitution, which called for a representative, technocratic government with a hereditary monarch.

Libya Middle East

MENASource

Oct 19, 2021

Jordan is pushing for rapprochement with Syria. But is it to reinforce artificial stability in the region?

By Laith Alajlouni

The normalization of ties with Syria is assumed to be a part of a broader regional stabilization plan that Jordan's King Abdullah advocated for during his recent visit to Washington in July.

Middle East Politics & Diplomacy

Fast Thinking

Oct 18, 2021

FAST THINKING: What to do about China’s hypersonic weapons

By Atlantic Council

Should US defense officials be worried about the pace of Chinese military modernization? What could China do with such weapons? Our experts fire off their thoughts.

Arms Control China

Event Recap

Oct 18, 2021

New opportunities for MENA women to plug into global commerce

By Stefanie Hausheer Ali

Atlantic Council’s empowerME Initiative held a workshop on “Women in the global supply chain: The importance of increasing women's access.”

Economy & Business Entrepreneurship

MENASource

Oct 15, 2021

Are Putin and Erdogan doing territorial swaps in Syria again?

By Ibrahim Hamidi

Talks of another territorial swap are back on the table now, amidst a common Turkish-Russian belief that the US is preparing to disengage from the Middle East, as they did with Afghanistan.

Middle East Politics & Diplomacy

Event Recap

Oct 13, 2021

Event recap: Accountability and justice in Libya—voices from the ground

By Hezha Barzani

On September 28, the Atlantic Council’s North Africa Initiative hosted an event exploring the challenges of promoting transitional justice in Libya and how to pursue accountability for crimes committed in the civil war that began in 2011.

Libya Middle East

MENASource

Oct 13, 2021

Libya’s elections are around the corner. But the country needs a hard reset.

By Anas El Gomati

The reality is that Libya needs a hard reset. Luckily, the answer to the current crisis can be found in the design and original sequencing of the Berlin Process.

Libya Middle East

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

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

MENASource

Oct 7, 2021

Morocco and Israel are friendlier than ever thanks to the Abraham Accords. But what does this mean for the rest of North Africa?

By Karim Mezran, Alissa Pavia

The agreement between Israel and Morocco sparked a series of chain events in neighboring North African countries that will likely have lasting consequences on the economic, security, and socio-political relations in the region.

Middle East Morocco
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