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In Focus: A New Era of American Strategic Commitments in the Middle East

A New Path to Middle East Security: How American Commitments in the Gulf Can Rebuild the Regional Order

The Trump administration’s full-throated assurance of support for Qatar and willingness to pressure Israel on key issues could set a new benchmark for U.S. security relationships with the Gulf countries.

Nov 13, 2025

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James Jeffrey
Elizabeth Dent

Recent Institute Analysis

Perspectives on Muhammad bin Salman’s Visit to Washington

Washington Institute experts discuss each government’s likely agenda for the landmark visit, from dealmaking in the energy and AI sectors to deepening the bilateral defense relationship and taking the difficult next steps in the fragile Gaza ceasefire plan.

Nov 14, 2025

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Dennis Ross
Elizabeth Dent
April Longley Alley
Simon Henderson
Henry Tugendhat
Noam Raydan

From Pariah to Partner, MBS Returns to Washington

For the United States and Saudi Arabia to both win in today’s competitive global ecosystem, they need each other, and the Trump administration is poised to cap years of bipartisan effort by taking the relationship to new levels.

Nov 14, 2025

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Dana Stroul

Supporters of Iraqi prime minister al-Sudani celebrate with fireworks as results of the country's November 2025 parliamentary elections are announced - source: Reuters

Iraq’s Election: Outcomes and Next Steps

Sudani did very well at the ballot box, but the peculiarities of Iraq’s long government formation process and the final distribution of parliamentary seats may leave the main Iran-backed coalition in the driver’s seat.

Nov 17, 2025

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James Jeffrey
David Schenker

The national flags of China and Iran fly in Tiananmen Square during Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's visit to Beijing, China, February 14, 2023 - source: Reuters

Seven Sons and Mullahs: Chinese-Iranian Defense-Linked Academic Collaboration

Recent academic output from both countries reveals joint research efforts in numerous military-related fields and some convergence between their defense innovation ecosystems, posing potential risks to the United States and its partners.

November 2025

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Assaf Orion
Jacob Sanchez

Iranian dissident Masih Alinejad speaks addresses a crowd at a courthouse - source: Holly Dagres

The United States Must Do More for Iranian Dissidents

Recent convictions in the Masih Alinejad case represent a win for dissidents everywhere, but a surge in Tehran’s hostile acts abroad requires more aggressive countermeasures, such as those laid out in the bipartisan Transnational Repression Policy Act.

Nov 12, 2025

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Holly Dagres

Interactive Tool: Middle East Maritime Attacks 2019-Present

Screenshot excerpt of a StoryMap covering maritime attacks in the Middle East.

Maps & Graphics

Tracking Maritime Attacks in the Middle East Since 2019

An interactive map showing the extent to which Houthi forces, their Iranian military patrons, and other actors have been targeting vessels in regional waterways for years, including well before the Hamas-Israel war.

Aug 3, 2024

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Noam Raydan
Farzin Nadimi

Building Peace Between Israel and Lebanon

Flags of Israel and Lebanon painted on hands outstretched to each other, overlaying map of Israel-Lebanon border and beyond.

Maps & Graphics

A Roadmap for Israel-Lebanon Peace

Pursuing even incremental steps will be difficult in a country long dominated by Iran’s chief regional proxy, but the two countries’ leaders have cracked the door open for future diplomacy.

Oct 28, 2025

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Hanin Ghaddar
Robert Satloff
Ehud Yaari

Institute Expertise on Arab-Israeli Relations

Dennis Ross

A diplomat with decades of experience in U.S. Middle East policy in the Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and Obama administrations, Ambassador Dennis Ross is the counselor and William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Dana Stroul

A policy practitioner with extensive experience within the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government, Dana Stroul is Director of Research and Kassen Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute.

Ghaith al-Omari

The former director of the American Task Force on Palestine, Ghaith al-Omari served as advisor to the negotiating team during the 1999–2001 permanent-status talks in addition to holding various other positions within the Palestinian Authority.

David Makovsky

A veteran journalist, author, academic, and diplomat, David Makovsky is the Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations.

In Focus: How Hezbollah Exploits Financial Corruption in Lebanon

Banque du Liban, BDL commissioner Riyad Salameh, Hezbollah symbol, ATM machine

Maps & Graphics

Cash Cabal:

How Hezbollah Profits from Lebanon's Financial Crisis

The Lebanese economy requires an urgent overhaul, and the international community must press for deep reforms.

Jun 22, 2023

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Samara Azzi
Hanin Ghaddar

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Recent Webcasts: Expert Policy Conversations

Syria's acting president Sharaa greets U.S. President Trump in Riyadh in May 2025 - source: Reuters

Video

Sharaa Goes to Washington

A distinguished panel of experts and veteran diplomats sets the stage for the president’s historic White House visit, examining critical U.S., Israeli, and Syrian issues as well as lessons from past diplomatic efforts.

Nov 7, 2025

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James Jeffrey
Michael Herzog
Michael Jacobson
Anna Borshchevskaya

Video

Is There a Pathway for Lebanon-Israel Peace?

A Lebanese legislator explains why disarming Hezbollah and discussing peace terms with Israel is so crucial to his country’s future, while a separate expert panel discusses the roadblocks to progress.

Nov 7, 2025

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Fouad Makhzoumi
Hanin Ghaddar
Eran Lerman

An Iraqi voter dips their finger in ink after casting a ballot in regional elections in Iraqi Kurdistan in 2024 - source: Reuters

Video

Iraq's Pivotal Parliamentary Election

Two regional political experts join a former U.S. ambassador to discuss how the final campaign push is shaping up and what the outcome could hold for U.S. interests.

Nov 5, 2025

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Mina al-Oraibi
Munqith Dagher
James Jeffrey

Interactive Map: ISIS Global Activity

Under the leadership of jihadism scholar Aaron Zelin, a team of researchers at The Washington Institute has built the Islamic State Select Worldwide Activity Map, an interactive tool that provides a more accessible way to search, track, and understand the organization’s global reach. It represents the most comprehensive public archive of the group’s attack data, media output, government designations, and legal cases — information that is becoming invaluable as IS affiliates disperse into a wider range of jurisdictions and the U.S. government continues shifting resources away from the global counterterrorism fight.

Access the interactive map.