Featured commentary & analysis

Détente in the 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
Détente in the 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
Détente in the 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.

EXPLORE THE Counterterrorism study group

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.

Listen

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.

EXPLORE THE GULF SECURITY TASK FORCE

Content

New Atlanticist

Dec 6, 2019

Détente in the Gulf?

By Kirsten Fontenrose

The National Security Council’s policy process aimed at designating the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization may accidentally contribute to a resolution of the Gulf rift.

Politics & Diplomacy
Terrorism

IranSource

Dec 5, 2019

Assessing US policy toward Iran

By Kenneth Katzman

The effectiveness of any US policy needs to be measured against the primary objective it is seeking to accomplish. A policy might be changing some conditions in a target country, but not others. The conditions that are being changed by US policy might be material to US interests, or they might not. The key question […]

Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion
Iran

In the News

Nov 26, 2019

Khoury quoted in Al-Monitor on the possibility of US-Saudi negotiations with Houthis

By Atlantic Council

Security & Defense
The Gulf

In the News

Nov 26, 2019

Cohen in Forbes: Making History: U.S. Exports More Petroleum Than It Imports In September and October

By Atlantic Council

Energy & Environment
Energy Markets & Governance

In the News

Nov 15, 2019

Cohen in Forbes: Investors Evaluating Aramco IPO As Iran Claims Discovery Of New Oil Field

By Atlantic Council

Economy & Business
Geopolitics & Energy Security

New Atlanticist

Nov 15, 2019

A crisis of commitment in the Middle East. But whose?

By Kirsten Fontenrose

While US actions are causing confusion about Washington's commitment, regional actions are also calling into question the region’s commitment to its relationship with the United States and to its own stability.

Middle East
Politics & Diplomacy
Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul)

EnergySource

Nov 13, 2019

The Saudi Aramco IPO: A valuation saga

By Private: Jean-François Seznec

The Saudi stock exchange in Riyadh has approved the trading of Saudi Aramco’s shares on the local stock market, signaling a rapid start to the initial public offering (IPO). The various investment banks looking to place and sell the shares to their clients have given widely different, but generally low, value to the company and the shares.

Energy Markets & Governance
Energy Transitions

MENASource

Nov 7, 2019

Saudi-backed Yemeni government and separatists sign power-sharing agreement

By MENASource

On Tuesday, November 5, the Hadi government signed a power-sharing agreement with southern separatists in Riyadh. The separatists and Hadi-led Yemen Government are backed by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, specifically by the United Arab Emirates. Infighting between them further fractured the civil war in August when the separatists seized Aden from Saudi-led forces. It […]

Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding
Politics & Diplomacy

In the News

Nov 5, 2019

Livingston quoted in Axios on Saudi oil

By Atlantic Council

Energy & Environment
Energy Markets & Governance
Saudi Aramco oil facility

EnergySource

Nov 5, 2019

Two frameworks for understanding the Aramco IPO

By Randolph Bell

The recent announcement that the partial initial public offering (IPO) of Saudi Aramco is finally moving forward is either a cause for celebration or consternation, depending on your perspective. The divergence in views comes from the way in which market players and analysts understand the IPO and the role of Aramco in the Saudi economy.

Energy Markets & Governance
Oil and Gas
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Experts

Fellow

Amir Asmar

Nonresident Senior Fellow

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

Intelligence Israel

Staff

Allison Minor

Director, N7 Research Institute

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Conflict

Fellow

Nicholas Hopton

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia Iran

Expert

Jon Wilks

Distinguished Fellow, Transatlantic Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Crisis Management

Fellow

Yerevan Saeed

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Iraq Initiative Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Energy & Environment

Fellow

Samir Altaqi

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Syria Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Middle East
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