Policy Analysis

Firsthand recollections of how the Islamic Revolution progressed on the ground raise questions about the current protest movement’s prospects for success.

Acting now offers the best chance to halt atrocities and shape a peaceful transition, while waiting would only ensure that the next phase of the crisis is bloodier for Iranians, more dangerous for the region, and more difficult to influence.

Join us for an expert look at the rapidly changing situation in Iran. Watch live starting at 11:00 a.m. EST (1600 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, 2026.

To avoid being caught flat-footed, Western governments must begin policy planning for the destabilizing waves that could accompany regime collapse while urgently restoring support for programs focused on internet freedom, human rights, and similar areas.

The incident points to the myriad ways that U.S. adversaries might exploit Moscow’s efforts to claim a permanent stake in Syria’s needy postwar energy sector.

Israel may believe the tense status quo is sustainable, but Washington is frustrated about the potential implications for Arab normalization, Turkish military friction, and near-term economic plans.

Israel’s approval of the delayed export agreement is a welcome development, but U.S. officials should view it as the start, not the end, of efforts to ease tensions between two key peace partners.

Watch as distinguished author and veteran diplomat Ambassador James Jeffrey explores the lessons of decades of American diplomacy in the Middle East in a conversation with Institute Executive Director Robert Satloff, with a special introduction by former Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III.

A veteran American diplomat offers a compelling, first-hand account of U.S. foreign policy and crisis management in the Middle East from 2004 to 2020.

By comparing the outcome of Iraq's recent elections with the country's demographic trends, a clear difference emerges between the proportion of Iraqis whose votes are represented in the new parliament and the Iraqi population writ large.

Since the June war, Tehran has hastily doubled down on Russian and Chinese partnerships to weather sanctions and deter future attacks, but Moscow and Beijing are hesitant to invest deeply in return—and Washington should make sure they stay that way.

Watch video or read a summary of the minister’s observations on a multitude of crucial issues, from Hezbollah disarmament and long-term Israeli peace to relations with Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Turkey.

Defining victory in Gaza is hardly simple when Hamas is still armed, ruling nearly half the Strip, and flush with significant diplomatic achievements.

Democratic backsliding, sluggish trade reforms, and other maladies have left the country's ports insufficiently attractive to investment heavyweights like the United States and China.

Despite rhetoric to the contrary, neither side can claim a decisive win, and an uneasy status quo could persist as long as Trump, the ceasefire guarantors, and Israeli leaders keep a lid on their frustrations.

The vessel's tracked activities and suspicious data transmissions should be investigated for potential illicit transactions with Iran and the former Assad regime.

Barring sustained U.S. efforts, Gaza’s de facto division into Hamas and Israeli zones will likely persist, and the ceasefire will be remembered as just the prelude to the next conflict.

U.S. allies Saudi Arabia and the UAE are on a collision course in Yemen, as local forces threaten to reopen a war that could boost the Houthis, deepen Red Sea instability, and otherwise undermine the Trump administration’s Middle East goals.

The Houthis, STC, and other players are making moves that could spark a new civil war in Yemen, potentially upending the perceived balance of power ushered in by the Gaza truce.

Given the group's hostile long-term goals, the Trump administration needs an empowered envoy to lead several projects in parallel, from developing a capable Palestinian security force and replacing the PA’s leadership to curtailing Israeli fringe elements and resuming Arab normalization talks.