Middle East

Experts react: Assad gets warm reception at Arab summit. Where does that leave the US and its allies?

By Qutaiba Idlbi, Gissou Nia, Michel Duclos, Emadeddin Badi

Atlantic Council experts react to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad's attendance at the Arab League summit in Jeddah and explain its significance below. 

Can Arab League states ‘get something’ for readmitting Assad?

By Qutaiba Idlbi

Pre-summit conversations centered around three issues: the return of refugees, countering narcotics, and the reestablishing the state authority and institutions in Syria.

How the international community can help Libya’s political deadlock, according to local civil society actors

By Ali Alaspli, Farah Ali, and Mohamed Salem

In this piece, three Libyan civil society representatives give their take on the international community’s role in Libya.

The Arab League thinks readmitting Syria will push out Iran. They’re wrong.

By David Daoud

The logic of drawing Bashar al-Assad back into the Arab League is unsound, founded on the faulty premise that there remains such a thing as an independent Syrian regime to woo back from Tehran.

Syrian refugees fear normalization with Assad. Because it means they will have to return—and not by choice.

By Arwa Damon

Syrian refugees fear that “normalization” of ties will boost the narrative that “Syria is safe now,” giving further justification to rid Syrian refugee populations.

State of the Order: Assessing April 2023

The State of the Order breaks down the month's most important events impacting the democratic world order.

Eight months into anti-regime protests, Iran’s women show creativity as they press on ‘full of anger’

By Nick Fouriezos

Three leading figures from the Iranian women's protest movement spoke at an Atlantic Council Front Page event about how their struggle has attracted global attention and what's next.

The 2023 Distinguished Leadership Awards: Honoring the women shaping the global future

By Katherine Golden, Daniel Malloy

Women play a leading role in problem solving, making a historic difference on battlefields, in protests, and in boardrooms. Our annual awards honored awardees embodying this role.