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The latest pieces from MENASource:

MENASource

Oct 10, 2025

Why Lebanon is stuck in the middle on Hezbollah disarmament

By Nicholas Blanford

Lebanon finds itself caught between the rock of US pressure for Hezbollah’s disarmament and the hard place of Hezbollah refusing to do so.

Arms Control Extremism

MENASource

Oct 10, 2025

Can the Jordan-Israel peace treaty survive damage done from the Gaza War?

By Amir Asmar

Decisions made in coming days will help determine the extent to which Israel has pushed important alliances to the brink.

Israel Middle East

MENASource

Oct 9, 2025

Amid Gaza cease-fire hope, where does the Egypt-Israel relationship stand?

By Shahira Amin

Israel’s Doha strike shifted the dynamics with Cairo—stemming from concerns that Egypt may be next in Israel’s crosshairs.

Israel Middle East
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Through our Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, 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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Content

In the News

Sep 27, 2025

Charai in The National Interest: The Last Chance for Peace in the Middle

By Atlantic Council

English Middle East

MENASource

Sep 26, 2025

For an increasingly isolated Netanyahu, it’s money time with Trump

By Shalom Lipner

Amid growing international criticism, the Israeli Prime Minister is playing his ace—or rather, his Trump—card in Washington.

Israel Middle East

MENASource

Sep 26, 2025

The Saudi-Pakistan defense pact highlights the Gulf’s evolving strategic calculus

By Eleonora Ardemagni

In Riyadh’s multi-aligned policy, signing a mutual defense deal with Pakistan is complementary, not alternative, to US security guarantees.

India Indo-Pacific

MENASource

Sep 26, 2025

How Armenia-Azerbaijan peace could reshape Israel’s regional ties

By Sheila Paylan

If Armenia’s peace with Azerbaijan holds, it could offer an imperfect, but instructive, model for other protracted conflicts.

Eastern Europe Israel

New Atlanticist

Sep 25, 2025

Experts react: What’s next for US-Turkey ties after Erdoğan’s White House visit? 

By Atlantic Council experts

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with US President Donald Trump on Thursday, marking the Turkish leader’s first White House visit in six years.

Defense Policy Economy & Business

MENASource

Sep 24, 2025

Is a new era of Turkey-Syria economic engagement on the horizon?

By Ömer Özkizilcik and Levent Kemal

The convergence of Turkey's and the Gulf's economic strategies in Syria presents an opportunity for Washington.

Democratic Transitions Middle East

MENASource

Sep 23, 2025

A geography of protest: Inside the rise of Iran’s minority factor

By Mohammed A. Salih

From the death of Mahsa Jina Amini to the Twelve Day War, the ethnic question has emerged as a significant dimension of Iran’s politics.

Civil Society Iran

MENASource

Sep 23, 2025

Iran’s minorities and policy complexity: A look at two communities

By David Sklar

Iran plays a significant role in Middle Eastern geopolitics. Policymakers should develop a sober, accurate mapping of its population.

Civil Society Iran

New Atlanticist

Sep 23, 2025

Dispatch from 2,200 feet over Gaza: What I learned from airdropping desperately needed food aid

By Ahmed F. Alkhatib

The head of Realign For Palestine, an Atlantic Council project, joined a recent humanitarian flight over the Gaza Strip that delivered much-needed food to Palestinians.

Conflict Israel

Issue Brief

Sep 22, 2025

Expanding Syria’s multilateral development bank engagement

By Basil Kiwan

Estimates of Syria’s post-civil war cost of rebuilding range from $250 billion to $400 billion. To help finance reconstruction and development, Syria’s transitional government should expand its partnerships with international financial institutions (IFIs) and multilateral development banks (MDBs), as these institutions can play a key role in mobilizing global capital.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business
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Experts

Staff

Kate Springs

Program Assistant, Strategic Litigation Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Human Rights International Norms

Fellow

Afaq Hussain

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

Millennium fellow

Bushra Shammout

Head of Energy Security Winter Preparedness Strategy and Ministerial Briefing, Department of Energy Security and Net Zero

Millennium Leadership Program

Europe & Eurasia Geopolitics & Energy Security

Fellow

Akeel Abbas

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Iraq Initiative Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Human Rights

Fellow

Bachir Ismael Ouedraogo

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Africa Energy & Environment

Fellow

Hany Ghanem

Nonresident senior fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East

Americas Arabic
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Events

Online Event Thu, October 23, 2025 • 10:30 am ET

Iraq’s Constitution at twenty years
Democratic Transitions Freedom and Prosperity Iraq Middle East
Online Event Thu, October 30, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

What to expect in Iraq’s 2025 elections
Elections Iraq Middle East Politics & Diplomacy