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- Policy AnalysisIranUS Foreign Policy
Raisi’s Election Creates Opportunities and Pitfalls for Iran’s Islamic Republic
Jun 25, 2021Daniel BrumbergIn the weeks leading up to Iran’s June 18 presidential elections, one joke making the rounds was that Ebrahim Raisi, then a candidate and now the winner, was r…
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Attaining the Difficult Peace in Yemen
Jun 9, 2021Gregory AftandilianAfter displaying some optimism about reaching a cease-fire and peace deal in Yemen, the Biden Administration is facing the stark reality that these objectives …
- ViewpointIraqDemocracy and Governance
Time to Address Impunity in Iraq
Jun 4, 2021Abdulwahab Al-QassabOn May 26, Iraqi security forces arrested General Qasim Muslih, commander of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Anbar province, basing their action on…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaUS Foreign Policy
A Tough Nut to Crack: Rebalancing the US-Saudi Relationship
Jun 2, 2021Charles W. DunneOut on the campaign trail in 2019, presidential candidate Joe Biden made it clear that when it came to a principled US foreign policy, he intended to be the an…
- Policy AnalysisLevantRegional Relations and Geopolitics
The Biden Administration and the GCC Rapprochement with Damascus
May 27, 2021Joe MacaronWith Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on his way to a fourth term in the Syrian presidential election held this week, Moscow is expected to resume its diplomat…
- Policy AnalysisIranRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Iran Plays a Diplomatically Cautious (and Smart) Game on Gaza
May 22, 2021Daniel BrumbergIt’s not every day that Hamas leaders openly plead for Tehran’s support. But this is apparently what happened when, as the battle between Gaza’s militant grou…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Contingencies Undergird Saudi Foreign Policy
May 18, 2021Kristian Coates UlrichsenA flurry of diplomatic outreach involving Iran, Syria, and Turkey, and a continuing warming of relations with other Gulf countries, have sparked questions over…
- Policy AnalysisIranUS Foreign Policy
The Israeli Factor in the US-Iran Nuclear Talks
May 6, 2021Joe MacaronAs US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was visiting Israel on April 11, Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency orchestrated a mysterious explosion in Iran’s Natanz …
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaEducation and Development
Arab Space Programs Level Up
Apr 30, 2021Charles W. DunnePeople in the Arab world have gazed at the stars with curiosity and genius for centuries. The first observatory was built in the 8th century by Abbasid Caliph …
- Policy AnalysisIraqUS Foreign Policy
The United States Ends its Combat Role in Iraq
Apr 26, 2021Gregory AftandilianAt the recent meeting of the US-Iraq Strategic Dialogue, negotiators decided to end the combat mission of US troops engaged in the fight against remnants of th…
- Policy AnalysisIranRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Will the Natanz Incident Produce Maximum Diplomacy?
Apr 23, 2021Daniel BrumbergJust two days after what appeared to be an Israeli-backed sabotage of Iran’s Natanz enrichment facilities, The Washington Post’s editorial board declared that …
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Time to Rethink International Intervention in Yemen
Apr 7, 2021Nadwa Al-DawsariTen years ago, youth-led peaceful protests spread in Yemen demanding political reforms and the removal of the corrupt regime of former President Ali Abdullah S…
- Intern CornerThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfEnergy and Economics
China’s Maritime Challenge to the United States in the Gulf
Mar 30, 2021Gabriella HaedeltThe Arabian Gulf has emerged as a theater of investment, international integration, and rivalry for global powers, especially after Chinese President Xi Jinpin…
- ViewpointIraqIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
A Struggle of Wills over Iraq’s Identity
Mar 30, 2021Abdulwahab Al-QassabThe last few days witnessed serious efforts by some Arab countries to influence developments in Iran-friendly Iraq. On March 24, Qatari Foreign Minister Mohamm…
- Policy AnalysisIranUS Foreign Policy
Hard-liners Fight for Iran’s Presidency and Foreign Policy
Mar 17, 2021Daniel BrumbergFormer US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, who during the Obama Administration played a pivotal role in negotiating the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, recently asserted…
- Policy AnalysisIraqIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
Iraq’s Complicated and Challenging Security Situation
Mar 16, 2021Abdulwahab Al-QassabMany of Iraq’s pro-Iran militias were encouraged with Joe Biden’s election as president of the United States and the ensuing Democratic control of both houses …
- ViewpointSaudi ArabiaUS Foreign Policy
Mohammed bin Salman in the Hot Seat
Feb 26, 2021Imad K. HarbThe Biden Administration’s release on February 26 of a declassified intelligence report implicating Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) in the assassi…
- Policy AnalysisIranUS Foreign Policy
The US and Iran: From Brinkmanship to Negotiations?
Feb 25, 2021Daniel BrumbergIn his far-ranging February 21 interview with Iran’s Press TV, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reiterated a bottom line: that Iran would step awa…
- Policy AnalysisLevantUS Foreign Policy
The Biden Administration Contemplates a New Pivot to Asia
Feb 23, 2021Charles W. DunneIs the pivot to Asia for real this time?That is one of the key questions Washington policy analysts, pundits, and diplomats are asking themselves as President …
- Policy AnalysisEgyptRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Egyptian-Saudi Relations: Strategic Ties with Some Political Strains
Feb 9, 2021Gregory AftandilianEgypt and Saudi Arabia continue to be strategic partners in the Middle East, buoyed by shared interests and certain threat perceptions. Saudi Arabia values Egy…
- ViewpointIraqViolent Extremism
The Terrorist Attacks in Baghdad: A New Chapter in Iraq’s Instability?
Feb 3, 2021Abdulwahab Al-QassabAbdulwahab Al-Qassab writes that the latest suicide bombings in Baghdad portend a feared return of the Islamic State after it was supposedly vanquished in Dece…
- Policy AnalysisIranUS Foreign Policy
Biden will Contend with Divergent Middle East Preferences on Iran
Jan 27, 2021Daniel BrumbergThe Middle East is experiencing a period of diplomatic and strategic readjustment that will create both challenges and opportunities for the Biden Administrati…
- Policy AnalysisIranUS Foreign Policy
Iran between Avenging Soleimani and Engaging Biden
Jan 27, 2021Joe MacaronTwo events in January serve as reminders of how US-Iran dynamics are pulled in two different directions: the inauguration of President Joe Biden on January 20,…
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfUS Foreign Policy
Pompeo’s Departing Sabotage in Yemen
Jan 19, 2021Imad K. HarbWith less than two weeks in office before he checks out of Foggy Bottom, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo designated Yemen’s Houthi movement a foreign terrorist …
- Policy AnalysisDjiboutiUS Foreign Policy
China’s Belt and Road Initiative and US Middle East Policy
Jan 13, 2021Charles W. DunneMore than seven years after Chinese President Xi Jinping announced his country’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the vast infrastructure and economic developme…
- Policy AnalysisQatar
Saudi Arabia Ends the GCC Crisis
Jan 7, 2021Imad K. HarbIt finally happened: the GCC crisis is seemingly over. The 41st summit meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) succeeded in surmounting the three-and-a-h…
- Policy AnalysisIranUS Foreign Policy
The Biden Administration’s Foreign Policy: Key Features and Likely Changes
Jan 6, 2021Unit for Political StudiesHaving won the American presidential election, and despite incumbent President Donald Trump’s refusal to concede, Democratic candidate and President-elect Joe …
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfThe GCC
The Biden Presidency and the Gulf Arab States
Nov 24, 2020Kristian Coates UlrichsenAssessing the Biden Administration’s future relations with the Gulf, Kristian Coates Ulrichsen writes that it faces a set of difficult challenges on a number o…
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
MbS Also Gets Nothing for Normalizing with Israel
Nov 23, 2020Imad K. HarbOnce again, Arab solidarity with the Palestinian cause suffered a setback. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) reportedly met with Israeli Pr…
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfUS Foreign Policy
Yemen May Be a Priority for Biden and the Democrats
Nov 20, 2020Gregory AftandilianAs President-elect Joe Biden assembles his team and sets his priorities for the next four years, there has been much speculation as to what he will focus on in…
- ViewpointMorocco
Does Arab Public Opinion on Palestine Still Count in 2020?
Nov 18, 2020Khalil E. JahshanAlthough public opinion research in the Arab world has evolved significantly in recent years, it does not seem to be taken seriously by American policymakers i…
- ViewpointIranDemocracy and Governance
Arab Public Opinion on National Security and Foreign Intervention
Nov 17, 2020Joe MacaronThe Arab League celebrated its 75th anniversary this year in the midst of regional politics that have never been more polarized, with continuous foreign interv…
- Policy AnalysisIranUS Foreign Policy
Iran and the World Wait for Biden
Nov 5, 2020Daniel BrumbergIranian leaders have insisted that the November 3rd US elections would have no real significance for Iran’s basic interests. But such assertions should not be …
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/IsraelUS Foreign Policy
The Middle East Accords: An Arab Perspective
Nov 2, 2020Imad K. HarbThe recent agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Sudan will not help the cause of regional peace.On August 13, President D…
- Policy AnalysisUAEReligion and Politics
The UAE’s Manipulative Utilization of Religion
Sep 29, 2020Khalil Al-AnaniThe August announcement of normalizing relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has led to a backlash among Arabs and Muslims around the wor…
- Policy AnalysisLevantUS Foreign Policy
Saudi Arabia Prefers Implicit Normalization with Israel
Sep 18, 2020Daniel BrumbergSigned at the White House on September 15, the new peace agreements between Israel on the one side and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain on the other …
- Policy AnalysisEgyptRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Egypt-Iraq-Jordan Alliance Tries to Change Middle East Dynamics
Sep 16, 2020Curtis R. RyanOn August 25, 2020, the leaders of Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan met in Amman for the third in a succession of meetings marking ever-closer relations between the thr…
- ViewpointThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfSecurity and Defense
Comments on the UAE’s Acquisition of the F-35
Sep 8, 2020Abdulwahab Al-QassabIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is said to have condoned the sale of the advanced American F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to the United Arab Emirates afte…
- Policy AnalysisIranRegional Relations and Geopolitics
After the Beirut Blast: Hezbollah and Iran Walk a Tricky Line
Aug 26, 2020Daniel BrumbergDaniel Brumberg argues that Hezbollah and Iran are vested in preserving the current political system in Lebanon whose confessional institutions enable the part…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Riyadh Agreement 2.0 Changes Nothing in Yemen
Aug 19, 2020Nabeel A. KhouryNabeel Khoury contends that the lack of trust between Yemen’s Hadi government and southern secessionists is likely to at least delay the implementation of the …
- ViewpointIraqUS Foreign Policy
Iraq’s Mustafa Al-Kadhimi Comes to Washington
Aug 18, 2020Abdulwahab Al-QassabAbdulwahab Al-Qassab previews Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi’s upcoming visit to Washington and writes that the American capital may be too preoccupie…
- Policy AnalysisLevantUS Foreign Policy
The UAE-Israel Deal: Exploring the Motives
Aug 17, 2020Khalil E. JahshanKhalil E. Jahshan explores the political reasons behind the agreement to officially normalize relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, stating th…
- Intern CornerThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfWomen & Gender Issues
Barriers to Women’s Workforce Participation in the Gulf Arab States
Aug 11, 2020Alainna LiloiaAlainna Liloia argues that a societal shift in the Gulf states is needed for greater support to working women so they can make their own personal and professio…
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The Gulf
Reflections on Mohammed bin Zayed’s Preferences Regarding UAE Foreign Policy
Jul 24, 2020Kristian Coates UlrichsenAssessing the UAE’s foreign policy, Kristian Coates Ulrichsen contends that Mohammed bin Zayed’s personalistic rather than institutionalist style exposes his c…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaSecurity and Defense
Can Saudi Arabia and the UAE Develop National Arms Industries?
Jul 22, 2020David B. Des RochesWith a speed rarely seen in history, the Gulf Arab states have evolved from mere afterthoughts of colonialism to advanced countries. Located in a strategic reg…
- Policy AnalysisLevant
By Hedging, the UAE Abandons the Palestinians
Jul 17, 2020Imad K. HarbImad K. Harb writes that the UAE’s hedging strategy explains its headlong openness on Israel. It is thus abandoning the Palestine question just as the Israeli …
- Policy AnalysisIraqUS Foreign Policy
US-Iraq Strategic Dialogue: Important Achievements, but Much Remains to Be Done
Jul 14, 2020Charles W. DunneCharles W. Dunne reports that the first round of the US-Iraq Strategic Dialogue in June made progress on security issues, but many challenges remain for the tw…
- Policy AnalysisIranRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Iran’s Hard-liners Grapple with the Trap of Securitizing the State
Jul 13, 2020Daniel BrumbergDaniel Brumberg argues that Iran's hard-liners have savored the victory of last February's parliamentary elections and are now preparing for the 2021 president…
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfGlobal Health and Health Policy
Migrant Workers’ Health and COVID-19 in GCC Countries
Jul 7, 2020Yara M. AsiYara M. Asi writes that poor health care provisions and crowded living conditions of migrant workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries have made them e…
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Unabated War and Descent into Chaos in Yemen
Jun 30, 2020Nabeel A. KhouryNabeel Khoury argues that despite the many mistakes made by Yemen's political leaders and factions and the regional and international communities, the country'…
- Policy AnalysisIranSecurity and Defense
The Arms Trade in the MENA Region: Drivers and Dangers
Jun 17, 2020Charles W. DunneCharles W. Dunne argues that international arms sales remain a huge business in the Middle East, making it the most militarized region globally. However, he wr…
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfUS Foreign Policy
US Middle East Policy in Free Fall
May 28, 2020Daniel BrumbergGulf Arab states have little choice but to rely for their security needs on the Trump Administration despite its feckless policy in the Middle East and poor ca…
- Policy AnalysisJordanThe GCC
Jordan Maneuvers in GCC Politics to Protect Its Interests
May 27, 2020Gregory AftandilianDespite its heavy dependence on the GCC for economic aid and employment for its workforce, Jordan has been able to pursue political positions not always in syn…
- Policy AnalysisIranIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
Iran Is Running a Custom-Made Strategy in the Levant
May 18, 2020Joe MacaronAlthough economic pressures are forcing the Iranian regime to cut its losses in the Levant, it would be a mistake for the Trump Administration and its allies t…
- Policy AnalysisIraqSecurity and Defense
The US and Iraq Must Shore Up the Fight against the Islamic State
May 8, 2020Charles W. DunneCharles W. Dunne argues that the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq faces numerous setbacks, including the coronavirus, and that the upcoming US-Iraq Stra…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance
MbS’s New “Vision 2020”: Reform and Repression
May 5, 2020Daniel BrumbergSaudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) will most likely weather the political, economic, and health storms generated by COVID-19. Prompted by th…
- Policy AnalysisIranRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Worrisome American Response to Iran in the Gulf
May 5, 2020Abdulwahab Al-QassabAbdulwahab Al-Qassab examines the muted US response to Iranian provocations in the Arabian Gulf, surmising that it reflects poorly on the reputation of the Uni…
- ViewpointYemenConflicts and Conflict Resolution
A Unified Yemen May Soon Cease to Exist
Apr 27, 2020Imad K. HarbWith President Hadi too weak to respond to the self-rule declaration by the UAE- supported Southern Transitional Council, and Saudi Arabia too economically tro…
- Policy AnalysisOmanDemocracy and Governance
Continuity in Oman’s Problems and Policy Prescriptions
Apr 21, 2020Imad K. HarbOman is likely to continue to follow the policy prescriptions of the late Sultan Qaboos, Imad K. Harb writes, but the new ruler, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, may …
- Policy AnalysisIraqEnergy and Economics
Did the Saudi-Led Oil Deal Diminish Republicans’ 2020 Electoral Chances?
Apr 15, 2020Marcus MontgomeryBecause the health of the US economy is critical for Donald Trump's reelection hopes, Marcus Montgomery asks if the recent Saudi-led OPEC+ cuts will contribute…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance
The Fourth Saudi State Remains a Distant Vision
Apr 3, 2020Imad K. HarbImad K. Harb argues that Mohammed bin Salman’s chaotic and authoritarian stewardship of Saudi domestic and international affairs may well impede the establishm…
- Policy AnalysisIranUS Foreign Policy
The COVID-19 Pandemic Prompts Debate over Iran Sanctions
Apr 1, 2020Marcus MontgomeryMarcus Montgomery details splits in official Washington about how to deal with Iran at this delicate time of the coronavirus outbreak: some want to offer sanct…
- Policy AnalysisIranGlobal Health and Health Policy
COVID-19 and Iranian-American Relations
Apr 1, 2020Daniel BrumbergAs US-Iran relations suffer from continuing political and ideological differences, the coronavirus calamity could provide an opportunity for deescalation and c…
- Policy AnalysisIraqDemocracy and Governance
Confusion in Iraq: A Fractious Political Process and Free-Wheeling Militias
Mar 30, 2020Abdulwahab Al-QassabAbdulwahab al-Qassab highlights Iraq's current political problems and calls upon Iraqi politicians to put aside their differences and concentrate on how to avo…
- Policy AnalysisIranUS Domestic Politics and Elections
Trump, Congress Lay Out Election Year Foreign Policy Priorities
Mar 11, 2020Marcus MontgomeryMarcus Montgomery discusses how the Trump Administration is pressing forward with its campaign against Iran as many in Congress are trying to constrain the pre…
- Policy AnalysisIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Russia Has Limits on Its Influence in the Middle East
Mar 10, 2020Charles W. DunneCharles W. Dunne argues that despite Russia’s success in Syria and stealthy gains in the Middle East since 2015, the limits on its capabilities have become inc…
- Policy AnalysisIranDemocracy and Governance
The Uncertain Victory of Iran’s Hardliners
Feb 26, 2020Daniel BrumbergThe backing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will allow Iran’s conservatives to use their victory in the parliamentary elections to prevent reformists from deman…
- Policy AnalysisIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The United States and Iran Continue to Maneuver in Iraq
Feb 21, 2020Gregory AftandilianGregory Aftandilian contends that after the very tense period of December 2019-January 2020, the United States and Iran are seeking to restore their credibilit…
- Policy AnalysisIranSecurity and Defense
What is Congress Willing to Do to Avoid War with Iran?
Feb 6, 2020Marcus MontgomeryThis week, the House of Representatives took further decisive steps to try and prevent President Donald Trump from embroiling the United States in another war …
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Yemen: Order of Battle Trumps Peace
Feb 3, 2020Nabeel A. KhouryMilitary clashes in Yemen will not advance the interests of the warring parties, cautions Nabeel Khoury, who sees that victory there is only pyrrhic amid the d…
- Policy AnalysisIranDemocracy and Governance
US, Iran Prolong Détente in Lebanon with a Status Quo Cabinet
Jan 29, 2020Joe MacaronJoe Macaron contends that the new Lebanese government of Hassan Diab is a continuation of the old oligarchic status quo and appears to prolong the US-Iran déte…