Middle East

Middle East

Stretching from the Western Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean, the Middle East continues to be a region struggling with violent conflict, political repression, and poor development. Numerous pro-democracy protest movements, a burgeoning youth population, and efforts to reform governments and lessen economic dependence on oil, however, are causes for optimism. The United States and the international community must remain engaged with the region to provide support for these positive moves and to address the many remaining challenges.

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The latest pieces from MENASource:

MENASource

Apr 20, 2026

The Iran war has forced the US-Gulf alliance out of the shadows

By Eric Alter

The Iran war is testing whether the informal strategic system the United States has assembled with its Gulf partners and Israel is strong enough to hold up amid a regional conflict.

Defense Policy Iran

MENASource

Apr 20, 2026

‘They have been exposed’: The Iran war upends Gulf states’ security and business model

By Stefanie Hausheer Ali

The Iran war threatens the sense of security, prosperity, and opportunity that the Gulf states have spent years cultivating as they seek to diversify their economies away from oil.

Critical Infrastructure Policy Geopolitics & Energy Security

MENASource

Apr 15, 2026

The Iran war is not about China

By Jonathan Fulton

China is behaving like a normal external power with interests in the region, not like a crisis manager shaping outcomes.

China Conflict
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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

Feb 3, 2020

Bryza joins Al Jazeera to talk about the Syrian government’s military attack on Turkish troops in northern Syria

By Atlantic Council

Conflict Middle East

New Atlanticist

Feb 3, 2020

Can Iraq’s new prime minister nominee navigate Baghdad’s political chaos?

By Atlantic Council

The next task for Allawi is to win the consent from two mutually exclusive spheres of influence inside Iraq: the protesters who forced the resignation of the current government at a high cost with nearly a thousand lives lost and more than twenty thousand wounded and the entrenched political actors who are still unwilling to give up all or part of their extraordinary privileges and take steps to curb corruption.

Iraq Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Feb 3, 2020

US targets al-Qaeda leader: What it means for Yemen and the US counterterrorism mission

By Masoud Mostajabi

"When the United States is able to identify a terrorist abroad who threatens Americans, in the vast majority of cases the solution is relatively simple," William Wechsler says. "Simply reach out through law enforcement or intelligence channels and ask the local government to arrest them. Unfortunately, there remain a few places in the world in which the host governments have no practical ability to do so—indeed, in some of these places legitimate government authorities face a high risk of being killed if they tried. Yemen is one of these places."

Conflict Terrorism

In the News

Feb 1, 2020

Ellinas quoted in Qantara.de (German) on gas production in the Eastern Mediterranean

By Atlantic Council

Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Jan 31, 2020

Fontenrose joins VOA (Farsi) to talk about the deployment of additional US troops and aircraft to the Gulf

By Atlantic Council

Middle East Persian

In the News

Jan 31, 2020

Bruton quoted in VOA on status of US-brokered GERD talks

By Atlantic Council

Africa Energy & Environment

Press Release

Jan 31, 2020

Ambassador Marc J. Sievers joins Atlantic Council as nonresident senior fellow

By Atlantic Council

Washington, DC—January 31, 2020—The Atlantic Council’s Middle East Programs today announced the addition of Marc J. Sievers as a nonresident senior fellow. Sievers recently retired as a career member of the senior foreign service with the rank of minister-counselor, after having most recently served as US ambassador to Oman. Sievers brings to the program deep […]

Middle East

MENASource

Jan 31, 2020

The two-state solution comes back

By Thomas S. Warrick

The one-state solution is dead. The two-state solution may have a faint heartbeat, but it is unmistakably alive. Now, at least, we know where we are supposed to end up. All we have to do is to work backwards to find out what it will take to get from here to there.

Israel Middle East

In the News

Jan 30, 2020

Arbit in The Forward: There actually is an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal that’s working — in Gaza

By Atlantic Council

Israel Middle East

IranSource

Jan 30, 2020

Iranian civil society is our North Star: We should let them guide us

By Gissou Nia

One accurate window into which way the country will trend is to track the demands of Iranian civil society. They are leading with their chants in the streets and letters from prison. And their message to the people of Iran is clear: don’t abandon your self-respect and human dignity. Enough is enough.

Democratic Transitions Iran
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Experts

Fellow

Lukas Andriukaitis

Nonresident Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Disinformation Eastern Europe

Fellow

Carmiel Arbit

Nonresident Senior Fellow

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

Civil Society Extremism

Fellow

Rabah Arezki

Distinguished Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Africa Economy & Business

Millennium fellow

Iliyana Arnaudova

Clean Energy Finance Manager, C40

Millennium Leadership Program

Africa Climate Change & Climate Action

Fellow

Sareta Ashraph

Senior Legal Advisor

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic English

Fellow

Amir Asmar

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Intelligence Israel
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Events

Public Event Wed, May 13, 2026 • 9:00 am ET

The 2026 Iraq Dialogue
Geopolitics & Energy Security Iraq Middle East Politics & Diplomacy
Flagship Event Tue, June 9, 2026 • 9:00 am ET

2026 Global Energy Forum

The tenth Global Energy Forum will chart the course for continued innovation, collaboration, and leadership in the global energy transition. 
Africa Americas Climate Change & Climate Action Critical Minerals

LIVE: The 2026 Distinguished Leadership Awards

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