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

Apr 25, 2018

Emmanuel Macron’s Balancing Act

By Rachel Brandenburg

French President Emmanuel Macron appears to be performing a delicate balancing act of addressing US President Donald J. Trump’s dissatisfaction with the Iran nuclear deal while seeking to keep the multilateral agreement intact. Trump has been crystal clear since his presidential campaign that he views the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—the Iran nuclear […]

Iran

MENASource

Apr 25, 2018

An advance look at Iraq’s 2018 elections

By Rend Al-Rahim

Iraq’s 2018 parliamentary elections, simultaneously embodying continuity and change, will be held in a particularly divisive atmosphere. The elections are taking place in the shadow of the devastation left behind by the conflict with ISIS and serious splits within the governing Shia party. As a result, voting on May 12 will be a litmus test […]

Democratic Transitions
Elections

New Atlanticist

Apr 24, 2018

The Iran Nuclear Deal: To Leave or Not to Leave

By Rachel Brandenburg

The future of the Iran nuclear deal—the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—hangs in the balance as the May 12 deadline set by US President Donald J. Trump to “fix” the deal or to walk away from it approaches. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have preserving the JCPOA at the top […]

IranSource

Apr 24, 2018

Sunnis in Iran: An Alternate View

By Peyman Asadzade

In her issue brief for the Atlantic Council, “Iran’s Sunnis Resist Extremism, but for How Long?” Scheherezade Faramarzi discusses the current situation of Sunnis in Iran. While Faramarzi’s work is valuable given her fieldwork in Iran, in the view of this author, her piece contains errors and misleading information. I agree with Faramazi that the […]

Iran

IranSource

Apr 23, 2018

Europe Needs To Persuade Iran, Not Just Trump, To Save The Nuclear Deal

By Barbara Slavin

As French President Emmanuel Macron arrives in Washington, a top priority will be convincing his American counterpart to stay within the landmark nuclear agreement with Iran. But judging from this analyst’s conversations with Iranian diplomats in Europe and New York over the past week, Macron and his colleagues in Germany and Britain may have an […]

Iran

New Atlanticist

Apr 23, 2018

Europe Needs To Persuade Iran, Not Just Trump, To Save The Nuclear Deal

By Barbara Slavin

As French President Emmanuel Macron arrives in Washington, a top priority will be convincing his American counterpart to stay within the landmark nuclear agreement with Iran. But judging from this analyst’s conversations with Iranian diplomats in Europe and New York over the past week, Macron and his colleagues in Germany and Britain may have an […]

France
Germany

IranSource

Apr 10, 2018

Is Trump Counting on Iranian Hardliners to Nix the Nuclear Deal?

By Noah Annan

As a May 12 deadline for the US to renew sanctions waivers on Iran approaches, there are a number of possible scenarios for the nuclear deal’s survival or demise.

IranSource

Apr 9, 2018

Iran’s Uncertain Future: Revolution or Evolution?

By Thomas Buonomo

In his article published February 12, 2018, “Iran’s Uncertain Future,” Alireza Nader, an Iran expert who spent nearly 10 years working as a senior policy analyst with the RAND Corporation, raises serious questions about the stability of the Islamic Republic of Iran and offers a set of likely future political scenarios for the country.

New Atlanticist

Mar 28, 2018

Here’s What Happened During the Saudi Crown Prince’s International Debut

By Kristian Coates Ulrichsen

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the United States, following on the heels of his trips to the United Kingdom and Egypt, marks his debut on the international stage as the king-in-waiting of a country he could rule for decades. In the United Kingdom and now in the United States, the crown prince, […]

Saudi Arabia

IranSource

Mar 27, 2018

How Iran Might Respond to the US Abrogating the Nuclear Deal

By Sina Azodi

President Trump has threatened to unilaterally withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May if his demands for “fixing” the deal are not met by Britain, France and Germany (the E3). Iran has categorically rejected any amendments to the nuclear agreement and has argued that it has a range of options to respond […]

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