Featured reading

Damon quoted in Zawya on her documentary following survivors of conflict

New Atlanticist Dec 8, 2024

Experts react: Rebels have toppled the Assad regime. What’s next for Syria, the Middle East, and the world?

By Atlantic Council experts

Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad has been ousted as opposition forces quickly took the Syrian capital. Atlantic Council experts share their insights on the developments.
Conflict Corruption
Damon quoted in Zawya on her documentary following survivors of conflict

Fast Thinking Dec 8, 2024

Assad has fallen. Now what?

By Atlantic Council

The power shift in Syria will reverberate across the Middle East and the world. Our experts explain what’s next.
Conflict Iran
Damon quoted in Zawya on her documentary following survivors of conflict

New Atlanticist Dec 9, 2024

Dispatch from Doha: Assad’s fall, Iran’s weakness, and the impact of unintended consequences

By Jonathan Panikoff

In just six months, Iran has slid from a position of strength to perhaps the weakest it has been since 1979.
Conflict Iran
Damon quoted in Zawya on her documentary following survivors of conflict

MENASource Dec 10, 2024

Where Syria goes next after the fall of Assad

By Frederic C. Hof

With the Assad family agone, Syria, at long last, has a chance to achieve the kind of political transition envisioned by the 2012 Geneva Final Communique and UNSCR 2254.
Conflict Middle East
Damon quoted in Zawya on her documentary following survivors of conflict

New Atlanticist Dec 10, 2024

A blueprint for bringing about a new Syria

By Kirsten Fontenrose

For a reconstruction strategy in Syria to be effective, all parties must adopt a unified approach that is clear-eyed about the country’s new leaders.
Crisis Management International Organizations

Explore our Syria work

Syria Project

Our work on Syria sheds light on the ongoing struggle of Syrians to fulfill their desire for democratic self-governance as the United States and the international community grapple with the aftermath of a devastating civil war, millions of refugees across the Middle East and Europe, and ongoing security and political challenges spilling over Syria’s borders.

Group of world leaders sitting around table set up.

Syria Strategy Project

The Atlantic Council, Middle East Institute, and European Institute of Peace collaborate with subject matter experts and policymakers in the US, Europe, and the Middle East to develop a holistic strategy to sustainably forge a pathway to resolving Syria’s crisis.

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Featured experts

Leadership

Fellow

Qutaiba Idlbi

Resident Senior Fellow, Syria

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Economic Sanctions Entrepreneurship

Fellows

Fellow

Michel Duclos

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Conflict Crisis Management

Fellow

Arwa Damon

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Civil Society

Fellow

Ömer Özkizilcik

Nonresident Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic English

Fellow

Sinan Hatahet

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Economic Sanctions

Former fellow

Hind Kabawat

Former Nonresident Senior Fellow, Syria Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Civil Society

Fellow

Diana Rayes 

Nonresident Fellow, Syria Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Civil Society

Past events

Public Event Mon, March 18, 2024 • 1:00 pm ET

The Syria Strategy Project: A public launch
Civil Society Conflict Freedom and Prosperity Human Rights
Online Event Mon, February 12, 2024 • 12:00 pm ET

One year on: Assessing the February 6th earthquake response in Syria
Civil Society Economy & Business Human Rights International Organizations
Online Event Fri, May 31, 2024 • 9:30 am ET

Serving communities with disability in conflict contexts
Civil Society Conflict Crisis Management Human Rights
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Learn more about the Middle East Programs

Middle East Programs

Working with our 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.

EXPLORE THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL’S MIDDLE EAST PROGRAMS

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Content

In the News

Feb 22, 2024

Damon quoted in Zawya on her documentary following survivors of conflict

By Atlantic Council

Afghanistan Conflict

MENASource

Feb 20, 2024

Here’s what an uncoordinated US withdrawal from Syria would look like. It’s bad for many partners, but especially Turkey.

By Ömer Özkizilcik

An uncoordinated withdrawal from Syria by the United States could pose significant risks for Turkey, leaving the country alone against Iran and Russia.

Conflict Europe & Eurasia

Experts react

Feb 5, 2024

Experts react: US retaliation for the deadly attack in Jordan has begun. What’s next?

By Atlantic Council experts

Our experts interpret the United States' ongoing strikes against Iran-linked targets—and how Tehran and its proxies might view this response.

Conflict Crisis Management

Fast Thinking

Jan 28, 2024

Will the US retaliate against Iran after a deadly drone attack?

By Atlantic Council

Iran-backed militias just killed three US servicemembers in a drone attack in Jordan, and US President Joe Biden has promised to respond.

Conflict Iran

New Atlanticist

Jan 28, 2024

Experts react: Three US servicemembers were killed in Jordan. Will the US strike back at Iran?

By Atlantic Council experts

More than 150 attacks on US forces in the Middle East have occurred since October 2023, but the strike overnight was the first to kill a US soldier.

Conflict Iran

Podcast

Jan 10, 2024

Mercenaries and Gaza

By Alia Brahimi

Host and Nonresident Senior Fellow Alia Brahimi speaks with Iraq expert Renad Mansour about what motivates the non-state actors who are leading the bid to avenge Gazans.

Conflict Crisis Management

MENASource

Dec 18, 2023

2023: A year in the Middle East

By Rachel Friedman

2023 was a tumultuous and tragic year for the Middle East and North Africa. It also produced moments of hope and diplomatic feats.

Iran Iraq

Podcast

Nov 30, 2023

What’s Charlie Sheen got to do with it?

By Alia Brahimi

Host and Nonresident Senior Fellow Alia Brahimi speaks with Russia analyst Sergey Sukhankin about the arrest in Libya of the Wagner Group operative Maksim Shugaley.

Conflict Crisis Management

IranSource

Nov 8, 2023

The Gaza war raises questions about the future of Iran’s Resistance Axis

By Raz Zimmt

The Gaza war presents the first significant test of the level of cooperation present among the elements of the Iran-led Resistance Axis.

Iran Israel

Event Recap

Oct 30, 2023

Addressing the captagon crisis in MENA: Strategies & Challenges

By Diane Mohamed and Rachel Friedman

The Syria Program hosted a panel discussion taking stock of current captagon landscape in Syria and captagon’s place within the global illicit supply chain.

Corruption Crisis Management
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Experts

Fellow

Amany Qaddour 

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Civil Society

Fellow

Diana Rayes 

Nonresident Fellow, Syria Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Civil Society

Fellow

Lukas Andriukaitis

Nonresident Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Disinformation Eastern Europe

Staff

Elise Baker

Senior Staff Lawyer, Strategic Litigation Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Civil Society Extremism

Fellow

Nicholas Blanford

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Conflict

Fellow

Alia Brahimi

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Civil Society
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