Middle East

Experts react: What’s behind the Hezbollah beeper and walkie-talkie explosions

By Atlantic Council experts

Our experts explain what the explosions of communication devices in Lebanon could mean for the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

Reformists on the ropes: How they are battling their own irrelevance and conservative dominance in Iran

By Mohammed A. Salih

The future of Iran’s political landscape remains unclear.

This is not the time for the United States to go soft on Hezbollah

By Jonathan Rosenstein and Eliana Aiken

If Israel decides on a major campaign in Lebanon to remove the threat from Hezbollah, the US should have its ally's back.

As Middle East tensions simmer, the world fixates on the wrong energy market risks

As the anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel approaches, governments and industry leaders fear that Iran could close the Strait of Hormuz, with serious consequences for energy markets. But this move is highly unlikely. Rather, global leaders should be prepared for energy disruptions in other parts of the region.

Global China Newsletter—US-China rivalry in the Middle East and Pacific as 5G Competition Intensifies

By Dexter Tiff Roberts

The September edition of the 2024 Global China Newsletter

As the Israel-Hamas war continues, the Abraham Accords quietly turns four

By Marcy Grossman

The Abraham Accords have laid a foundation far beyond any one conflict for greater peace in the region.

What does Iran get for sending ballistic missiles to Russia?

By Mark N. Katz

On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed that Tehran has delivered shipments of ballistic missiles to Moscow, raising new concerns about the depth of the Iran-Russia relationship.

In the age of great power competition, the threat of another 9/11 still looms large

By Kristian Alexander

Unlike the early years of the Global War on Terror, threats today are more amorphous and more deeply embedded within local conflicts.

Iranian-Americans have discovered their voice. Their activism will only grow stronger.

By Siamak Aram

It is rooted in Iranians' deep desire for sweeping political and societal transformation, specifically removing the Islamic Republic.