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The latest pieces from MENASource:

MENASource

Sep 18, 2025

Libya’s stalled transition: When domestic spoilers meet foreign interests

By Luis Aleman and Karim Mezran

Libya’s stalled transition has not happened by chance; it has been deliberately engineered into paralysis by both domestic spoilers and foreign powers.

Libya Middle East

MENASource

Sep 18, 2025

Insights from Israel and the Gulf: An evolving regional integration

By Emily Milliken and Gershom Sacks

At a moment when the Abraham Accords is in question, we witnessed how the region moves quietly, sometimes boldly, towards cooperation.

Israel Middle East

MENASource

Sep 17, 2025

In landmark Syria elections, women still face electoral hurdles

By Marie Forestier 

As the indirect electoral process begins, Syrian officials could take several steps to increase women’s chances in this process.

Civil Society Democratic Transitions
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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

Jul 22, 2019

Cohen joins CNBC to discuss Iranian seizure of oil tanker
Economic Sanctions Iran

IranSource

Jul 22, 2019

Tensions in the Persian Gulf reflect power struggle inside Iran

By Noah Annan

Throughout the past four decades, US observers have disagreed about the nature of Iran’s factional politics and some have even questioned whether real differences exist. Rising tensions in the Persian Gulf seem to reflect Iran’s unified reaction to the US “maximum pressure” campaign.

Iran

In the News

Jul 20, 2019

Daragahi quoted in the Washington Examiner on the risk of conflict with Iran

By Atlantic Council

Economic Sanctions Iran

In the News

Jul 20, 2019

Dagres interviewed in ABC Australia on Iran’s seizure of a British oil tanker

By Atlantic Council

Economic Sanctions Iran

New Atlanticist

Jul 19, 2019

Tehran seizes British ships as Gulf pressures intensify

By David A. Wemer

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it seized a British tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on July 19, and a second British-owned tanker was boarded before being released, in the latest escalation over control of one of the world’s most vital energy trade waterways.

Iran United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Jul 19, 2019

US-Iran tensions reignite following another drone incident

By David A. Wemer

As the number of attacks and close calls continues to climb in the volatile region, risks of wider conflict are mounting and soon could be difficult for all sides to control.

Drones Iran

In the News

Jul 19, 2019

Dagres interviewed on BBC Sounds

By Atlantic Council

Iran

Event Recap

Jul 19, 2019

Private virtual roundtable with Al-Bayan Center on US-Iraq relations

By Atlantic Council

On July 19, the Atlantic Council’s Iraq Initiative hosted a roundtable with Al-Bayan Center, a think tank based in Baghdad. Iraq Initiative Director Dr. Abbas Kadhim moderated the conversation. The participants from Al-Bayan joined by videoconference.

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

MENASource

Jul 18, 2019

Expert rapid response: Erbil attack

By MENASource

On Wednesday July 17, 2019 a shooting took place in a restaurant in Erbil, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, that allegedly killed a Turkish diplomat serving in the consulate, Osman Kose, and two Iraqi civilians. Reports claim that three assailants with alleged Islamic State (ISIS) allegiances were behind the shooting and quickly killed as well although investigations are still pending. No group claimed the attack with the PKK spokesperson denying its involvement.

Iraq

MENASource

Jul 18, 2019

Poor air quality and lost economic opportunities

By Mahmoud Abouelnaga

Air quality in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has deteriorated dramatically over the last few decades. Recent research on global level of pollution ranked Cairo as the most polluted city in the world. The situation in other major cities in the region is not very different from the Egyptian capital. The region has witnessed major shifts in energy production and consumption trends over the last few decades which contribute to high levels of air pollution.

Middle East
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Experts

Fellow

Newton Howard

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Artificial Intelligence English

Fellow

Len Khodorkovsky

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic English

Fellow

Marie Forestier 

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic French

Millennium fellow

Lima Halima-Khalil

Co-Founder & Program Director, ArtLords

Millennium Leadership Program

Afghanistan Middle East

Fellow

Thomas Storch

Distinguished fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Economy & Business Energy Markets & Governance

Fellow

Ibrahim Al-Assil

Lead of the Syria Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Conflict
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