Strategic Thinking About the Middle East

Fast Thinking
Oct 2, 2024

What is Iran thinking now?

By
Atlantic Council

Tehran launched nearly two hundred missiles at Israel on Tuesday. Atlantic Council experts consider the ways that the barrage—which was largely ineffectual—offers a window into Iranian thinking.

Conflict
Iran

Strategic Thinking About the Middle East

IranSource
Oct 2, 2024

It’s time Iran’s artists be considered as human rights defenders

By
Sanjay Sethi and Johanna Bankston

International recognition of the acute risk creatives face in Iran is necessary to ensure their vital role in advocating for human rights continues.

Civil Society
Iran

Strategic Thinking About the Middle East

New Atlanticist
Sep 28, 2024

Experts react: Hassan Nasrallah is dead. What’s next for Hezbollah, Israel, and Iran?

By
Atlantic Council experts

On Saturday, Hezbollah confirmed that its leader had been killed in an Israeli air strike. Atlantic Council experts share their insights on what might come next for the already war-torn region.

Iran
Israel

In-depth research & reports

Report

Oct 8, 2024

A bipartisan Iran strategy for the next US administration—and the next two decades

As tensions spike in the Middle East, how should the next US president approach Iran and its network of proxies including Hezbollah and Hamas? With a strategy that can be maintained for decades, by administrations of either party. A bipartisan, expert working group lays out the details.

Iran
Middle East

Programs

Middle East Programs

Working 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.

EXPLORE THE Atlantic Council’s Middle East PROGRAMs

The latest from IranSource

IranSource

Jan 6, 2025

Blinded Iranian activist Elaheh Tavakolian: ‘We lost our eyes on this path. Let us not lose sight of our goal’

By
Holly Dagres

Holly Dagres sits down with blinded Iranian activist Elahe Tavakolian to share her story and discuss the situation in Iran and what the West needs to do.

Civil Society
Freedom and Prosperity


IranSource

Nov 20, 2024

2025 will be a decisive year for Iran’s nuclear program

By
Danny Citrinowicz  

Diplomatic deadlines and regional factors will force Iran to decide soon whether to strike a deal or seek a nuclear weapon. Either choice will have major ripple effects.

Arms Control
Defense Policy


IranSource

Nov 20, 2024

How to wrestle with an ayatollah 

By
Khosro Sayeh Isfahani

If one looks closely, the ancient Persian sport of wrestling might have answers to understanding how to contain Iran

Civil Society
Freedom and Prosperity

Read More From IranSource

Content

MENASource

Feb 9, 2017

Strategic Thinking About the Middle East

By Stephen Blank

In its first weeks, the Trump Administration openly castigated terrorism as America’s primary threat and underlined it anti-Iranian orientation. It also announced its intention to relocate the US embassy to Jerusalem and its readiness for a partnership with Russia against the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL). Unfortunately, taken together these moves are mutually contradictory. If […]

Iran Middle East

In the News

Feb 7, 2017

Slavin in VOA: Back to the ‘Axis of Evil’ on Iran

By Barbara Slavin

Read full article here.

Iran Middle East

In the News

Feb 6, 2017

Shaffer in the Hill: US Can Exploit Fault Lines to Drive Wedge between Iran, Russia

By Brenda Shaffer

Read the full article here.

Iran Russia

In the News

Feb 3, 2017

Slavin in Al Monitor: US Wrestlers Barred from Iran in Retaliation for Trump Visa Ban

By Barbara Slavin

Read full article here.

Iran

IranSource

Feb 3, 2017

US-Iran Tensions Could Boost Hardline Presidential Candidates

By Adam Weinstein

This week a photo of former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appeared on social media in front of the ruins of Persepolis. Ahmadinejad’s supporters quickly spread the photograph on Facebook and Twitter with election-like endorsements, even though his candidacy for another term as president has been tacitly barred by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran

In the News

Feb 3, 2017

Slavin Joins KCRW to Discuss US-Iran Relations

By Barbara Slavin

Listen to full interview here.

International Organizations Iran

New Atlanticist

Feb 2, 2017

On Iran Deal, Trump Should Leave Good Enough Alone

By Barbara Slavin

Since his election, US President Donald Trump has taken steps that harm the Iranian people by suspending visas to the United States. Trump has also adopted harsh rhetoric toward the Iranian government over missile tests and attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. So far, however, he has not carried out a threat to dismantle the landmark […]

Iran

In the News

Feb 2, 2017

Handjani Quoted by Bloomberg on Trump’s Threats on Iran’s Missile Test

By Amir Ali Handjani

Read the full article here.

Iran Missile Defense

Congressional Relations

Feb 1, 2017

Iran Symposium: Does the Iran Nuclear Deal Help or Harm US Interests in the Middle East

By Future of Iran Initiative

On Monday, January 30, 2017, the South Asia Center’s Future of Iran Initiative co-hosted a half-day symposium with The Iran Project. The event focused on the record of the Iran nuclear deal and its likely fate under the Trump administration. The intent was to help forge a bipartisan path forward that will preserve the non-proliferation gains […]

Iran

Congressional Relations

Feb 1, 2017

Trump’s Immigration Ban Will Have ‘Catastrophic Implications’

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) sees order as a ‘gift’ to hardliners in Iran US President Donald Trump’s executive order that curtails immigration and the rights of refugees is illegal, has “catastrophic implications” for the United States, and is a “gift” to hardliners in Iran as it paints all Iranians as a security threat to the […]

Iran
Load More

Experts

Fellow

Alan Pino

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Intelligence Iran

Staff

Britt Gronemeyer

Program Assistant, Strategic Litigation Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Human Rights International Organizations

Fellow

Khosro Sayeh Isfahani

Former Researcher

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arms Control Civil Society

Fellow

Carmiel Arbit

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Civil Society Extremism

Fellow

Hagar Hajjar Chemali

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative GeoEconomics Center

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

Fellow

Danny Citrinowicz  

Nonresident Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Cybersecurity
Load More