Featured commentary & analysis

India’s energy needs and the Arab/Persian Gulf

MENASource Jun 24, 2025

Dispatch from the Gulf: Finding middle ground amid Israel-Iran war

By Allison Minor

Congressional delegation visit coincided with Israel and Iran squaring off in a direct military confrontation.
Iran Israel
India’s energy needs and the Arab/Persian Gulf

MENASource May 28, 2025

Mickey goes to the Gulf: The UAE’s wish upon a soft power star

By Amit Yarom

In a region often defined by hard power rivalries, Abu Dhabi has chosen to compete through visibility, credibility and imagination.
Media Middle East
India’s energy needs and the Arab/Persian Gulf

MENASource May 23, 2025

The Gulf is emerging as Washington’s new strategic anchor

By Joze Pelayo

The so-called US “Golden Age for the Gulf” is one rooted in strategic utility, equal footing, high-stake deals, and fewer strings.
Middle East Politics & Diplomacy

Counterterrorism Study Group

The Counterterrorism Study Group is a forum for former counterterrorism officials to review the latest threats, to understand emerging trends and future predictions, and to explore creative new proposals for improving the effectiveness of current policies and operations.

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Podcast series

Listen to the latest episode of the China-MENA podcast, featuring conversations with academics, government leaders, and the policy community on China’s role in the Middle East.

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Gulf Security Task Force

The Gulf Security Task Force is revisiting the question of how to best protect US interests in this sensitive, always relevant region. Our goal is to provide US decision-makers with an updated, fact-based strategy for protecting US interests in the air and maritime domain from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea, and ensuring Gulf partners’ ability to assume this responsibility, with the assistance and leadership of the United States.

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Content

Report

Jan 6, 2017

India’s energy needs and the Arab/Persian Gulf

By Jean-François Seznec

India has tried to diversify its sources of crude oil, but due to its proximity to the Gulf, it still relies a great deal on Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq as its major suppliers, while Qatar provides most of its natural gas needs. What is the present crude oil and natural gas situation in India and the role played by the Gulf producers, especially Iran and Saudi Arabia?

Energy & Environment
India

In the News

Jan 5, 2017

Saab in Foreign Affairs: Can Mohamed bin Salman Reshape Saudi Arabia?

By Bilal Y. Saab

His command of the issues was solid, his delivery even better. His body language signaled confidence, even though he was the youngest and least experienced person in the room. He had charisma. But most important of all, he made a more powerful case for his country than any Saudi official had done before. Read the full article here.

Saudi Arabia

In the News

Dec 27, 2016

Seznec Quoted by New York Times on Saudi Royal Family’s Spending

By Jean-François Seznec

Read full article here.

Saudi Arabia

New Atlanticist

Dec 19, 2016

What Would a Taiwan Strait Crisis Mean for the UAE?

By Theodore Karasik and Giorgio Cafiero

Donald Trump’s decision to be the first US president/president-elect to speak with a Taiwanese leader since 1979 has unleashed anger in mainland China. Condemning Trump’s conversation with President Tsai Ing-wen, China’s Foreign Ministry declared that if Washington fails to respect Beijing’s interests in Taiwan, the “healthy development of China-US relations and bilateral cooperation in important […]

China
The Gulf

New Atlanticist

Dec 2, 2016

Can the Iran Nuclear Deal Survive Donald Trump?

By Giorgio Cafiero and Daniel Wagner

Donald Trump’s election as the next president of the United States has created uncertainty for the future of the nuclear deal with Iran. On the campaign trail, Trump made no secret of his opposition to the deal—formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). However, even if Trump’s administration retards the implementation of […]

China
European Union

In the News

Dec 2, 2016

Saab in Newsweek: Why We Need to Rebalance US-Saudi Relations

By Bilal Saab

Read the full article here.

Saudi Arabia

In the News

Nov 30, 2016

Khoury Quoted by Associated Press on War Crimes in Yemen

By Nabeel Khoury

Read the full article here.

Yemen

Event Recap

Nov 29, 2016

A New Saudi Arabian Regional Policy

By Tancrède Fulconis

On November 29, 2016, the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center hosted the event “A New Saudi Arabian Regional Policy” featuring panelists Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, chairman of Shamal Investments and Mohammed Alyahya, nonresident fellow at the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East. The discussion was moderated by Hariri Center Director Ambassador Frederic […]

Iran
Middle East

MENASource

Nov 22, 2016

The Sequencing of Peace in Yemen

By Nabeel Khoury

In a last ditch effort by the Obama administration to salvage Yemen’s peace talks as the war grinds on, US Secretary of State John Kerry visited Oman twice this month, personally meeting with Houthi representative Mohammed Abdussalam. In a statement released after his second visit, Kerry welcomed a 48-hour ceasefire in Yemen, but not all parties appeared to […]

Yemen

In the News

Nov 19, 2016

Khoury Joins Al Jazeera Arabic to Discuss the Humanitarian Situation in Yemen

By Nabeel Khoury

Watch the full discussion here.

Yemen
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Experts

Fellow

Ali Faqeeh

Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Energy & Environment Geopolitics & Energy Security

Staff

William F. Wechsler

Senior Director, Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

National Security Middle East