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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


MENASource

Sep 19, 2025

How Israel’s strike on Doha is forcing a Gulf security reckoning

By
Giorgio Cafiero

The Gulf monarchies have displayed strong unity at a time when rethinking twenty-first-century Gulf security is no longer optional.

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

MENASource

Oct 16, 2018

The chilling effect of the Khashoggi case: A trigger for Arabs living in fear

By Tuqa Nusairat

Since the apparent murder-disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi on October 2, analysts have focused primarily on the implications for US-Saudi relations and the future of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s vision for domestic reforms. Absent from policy discussions and analysis is the impact of brutally silencing a mild critic of an autocratic regime on the psyche of 450 million Arabs, most of whom still live under regimes that severely limit freedoms of speech, protest, political participation, and religion.

Saudi Arabia

In the News

Oct 16, 2018

Wald Quoted in CNN Business on Saudi Crisis

By Ellen Wald

Read the full article here.

Saudi Arabia

IranSource

Oct 16, 2018

FATF Legislation Reflects Continuing Political Divide in Iran

By Tahereh Hadian-Jazy

Enacting legislation against money laundering and terrorism financing has been a long struggle between the Iranian parliament, which is dominated by moderate conservatives and reformists, and the Guardian Council, whose members are largely appointed by Iran’s Supreme Leader. Parliament passed several laws in time for a meeting that began October 14 of the Financial Action […]

Iran

MENASource

Oct 15, 2018

The Khashoggi affair: Back to the future

By Nabeel Khoury

From the abuses of the male guardianship in Saudi Arabia to arrest and torture of dissenters in Egypt and the jailing of environmentalists and journalists in Iran, the Middle East is rife with human rights abuses. Nor is this something new.

Saudi Arabia

EnergySource

Oct 15, 2018

How oil turns antagonists to allies

By Ellen Wald

Oil market dynamics can make for strange bedfellows, as overlapping economic interests can often trump entrenched regional rivalries or bilateral strife. That is not to say that oil markets are not vulnerable to geopolitical events—they are. Probably the most well-known and often cited example of a geopolitical issue to effect oil markets was the 1973 […]

Energy Markets & Governance Iran

In the News

Oct 15, 2018

Kempe on CNBC Discussing Khashoggi Investigation

By Frederick Kempe

Watch the full discussion here.

Saudi Arabia

In the News

Oct 15, 2018

Charai in National Interest: How the Trump Administration Can Cope with Obama’s Arab Spring

By Atlantic Council

Middle East Political Reform

In the News

Oct 15, 2018

Fried on Fox News Discussing Khashoggi Investigation

By Daniel Fried

Watch the full discussion here.

Saudi Arabia

IranSource

Oct 15, 2018

Why the Trump Administration Needs More Balance in the Middle East

By Barbara Slavin

In quitting the Iran nuclear deal and doubling down on traditional US alliances, the Trump administration has forfeited key leverage and reduced its ability to resolve conflicts in the Middle East. Some readjustment in US policy after the Barack Obama administration was expected and potentially useful. Both Israel and Saudi Arabia felt that the US […]

Iran

In the News

Oct 14, 2018

LeBaron Quoted in the Telegraph on Jamal Khashoggi

By Richard LeBaron

Read the full article here.

Saudi Arabia
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Experts

Millennium fellow

Lima Halima-Khalil

Co-Founder & Program Director, ArtLords

Millennium Leadership Program

Afghanistan Middle East

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Thomas Storch

Distinguished fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Economy & Business Energy Markets & Governance

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Ibrahim Al-Assil

Lead of the Syria Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Conflict

Millennium fellow

Mohamad Sakr

Head of Commercial Operations, Crescent Petroleum

Millennium Leadership Program

Energy & Environment Middle East

Staff

Melanie Robbins 

Deputy Director, Realign for Palestine

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Civil Society Extremism

Fellow

Brett McGurk

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

English Middle East
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