Policy Analysis

Hezbollah is profiting from the pandemic.

Explosions in Riyadh, uncertainty about the Iran nuclear deal, and a potentially damaging CIA report about Jamal Khashoggi’s murder are among the many factors that could alter the new administration’s calculus.

The Biden administration will exhibit a blend of Trump's and Obama's policies towards Israel and Palestinians.

Giving the legislature a makeover is Cairo’s latest bid to ease public frustrations, but will a token opposition be enough to keep socioeconomic tensions from boiling over?

The Biden administration can succeed by strengthening and expanding Israeli normalization with Arab states and pursuing gradualism on the Palestinian issue.

The Iraqi government continues to sharpen the leadership of various commands and bolster civilian control, giving the U.S.-led coalition more leverage to fight the Islamic State with a light footprint.

Veteran NGO practitioners with deep experience in the aid sector discuss how Washington can help fix flawed approaches to assisting civilians in these two conflict zones.

A recent poll gauges Egyptians' lasting impressions of their chapter in the Arab Spring.

Growing unrest in the birthplace of the Arab Spring could translate into serious instability for the young democracy, with potential repercussions beyond its borders.

Antony Blinken, Avril Haines, and Lloyd Austin responded at length to congressional questions about the Iran nuclear deal, the Yemen war, Arab-Israel normalization, and other pressing regional issues.

Reconciliation in the Gulf does not mean isolation for Turkey.

Gridlock and economic stagnation are testing the Arab world's only functioning democracy.

U.S. and Iraqi Kurdish officials discuss the future of the region's natural gas sector, including proposals for surmounting various political and commercial hurdles.

Many of the administration’s early Middle East security efforts will boil down to crisis management, but new frameworks like the Abraham Accords may provide opportunities to address longer-term problems.

Less could be more when negotiating with Tehran.

In the year since their most iconic leaders were killed, Iran-backed militias in Iraq have been changing in crucial ways, providing rich insights into how Baghdad and its international partners should approach them in 2021.

Major distractions from abroad have not changed the fact that NEOM remains central to the crown prince’s vision for transforming the kingdom, despite its steep political and financial challenges.

Egyptians show support for compromise with Qatar but not with Iran or its proxies.

The new administration could face an Iranian military strike as early as inauguration day, along with multiple threats from the Assad regime, Hezbollah, and other actors down the road, all requiring clear demonstrations of U.S. resolve.

Iran views a successful, democratic government in Iraq as a threat to its existence.