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A map shows the routes of ships into and out of the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz - source: Reuters

SHAKY CEASEFIRE,

PERILOUS AFTERSHOCKS

A photo illustration depicts chess pieces and the Iranian and U.S. flags - source: Reuters

How Trump Could Still Get a Strategic Win from the Iran War

As long as the Strait of Hormuz is fully reopened and enriched uranium is shipped out, ending the war quickly may be Washington’s best bet, since Tehran would be left to deal with dire domestic problems it has no answer for.

Apr 9, 2026

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Dennis Ross

A sign and barrier along the Israel-Lebanon border - source: Reuters

“Once and for All” Again? The Contours of Israel’s Latest Campaign in Lebanon

The military and diplomatic risks of reentering south Lebanon are weighty, but Israel can mitigate them by publicly clarifying its security objectives, pursuing a bilateral political horizon, focusing its military efforts, and (finally) holding officials in Beirut accountable.

Apr 9, 2026

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Assaf Orion

The Middle East After the Iran War: Lessons and Outcomes

However the conflict ends, it has already delivered pivotal lessons on U.S. military innovation and political strategy, the continued dominance of hydrocarbons, the future posture of regional and external powers, and more.

Mar 2026

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James Jeffrey

A man walks by a mural of international currencies

How the Iran War Will Upend the Global Economy

Beyond the widely discussed risk of energy shocks, the war also seems likely to spark a prolonged debt crisis, especially for the world’s poorest nations.

Apr 8, 2026

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Henry Tugendhat

Armed members of the Iraqi Shiite militia Asaib Ahl al-Haq demonstrate at a funeral in Iraq - source: Reuters

What an “Iranian Proxies” Agreement Should Encompass

As wider peace negotiations continue, U.S. officials should carefully consider the many moving parts needed for a proxies deal to succeed—and what Washington would do if Tehran starts flagrantly violating its terms.

Apr 6, 2026

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Michael Jacobson

Webcast Friday: Iran’s Internet Shutdown and Civilian Repression in Wartime

Join us for an expert conversation examining the current mood among Iranians and the ways the regime uses digital repression to maintain power. Featuring Mahsa Alimardani, Nazanin Boniadi, and Roya Boroumand, moderated by Holly Dagres. Watch live starting at 11:30 a.m. EDT (1530 GMT) on Friday, April 10, 2026.

Learn more about this event.

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Institute Expertise on the Iran War and Its Aftermath

Holly Dagres

A widely cited scholar, Institute Libitzky Family Senior Fellow Holly Dagres has published groundbreaking scholarship on social media use by young Iranians. Curator of The Iranist Substack newsletter, she has been featured in interviews across radio, television, and print, including the Associated Press, BBC News, CNN, NPR, Fox News, and The New York Times.

Noam Raydan

Noam Raydan is a Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy who studies topics related to energy and maritime risk in the Middle East. She is a co-creator of the Institute's interactive map of maritime attacks in the Middle East since 2017.

Dennis Ross

Ambassador Dennis Ross, the Institute's Counselor and William Davidson Distinguished Fellow, played a leading role shaping U.S. Middle East policy in the George H.W. Bush, Clinton, and Obama administrations.

Dana Stroul

Formerly the top civilian official responsible for the Middle East at the Pentagon under President Biden, Dana Stroul is Director of Research and Michael Kassen Senior Fellow at the Institute.

Interactive Map: Maritime Attacks in the MENA Region

Explore this new interactive tool to shed light on the actions of actors such as Iran and Yemen's Houthis that have threatened and attacked commercial shipping in the waters off the Middle East and North Africa.

Access the map.

Recent Institute Analysis

A solar field in Morocco - source: Reuters

The Iran War’s Reverberations in North Africa

The crisis will challenge economic and political stability in the Maghreb countries, but they will also have opportunities—with Washington’s help—to fortify their prewar progress by filling gaps in global energy markets and other key sectors affected by the war.

Mar 31, 2026

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Sabina Henneberg

Syrian Army recruits attend their graduation ceremony from special forces training - source: Reuters

Syria Is Not Ready to Wage War Beyond Its Borders

The U.S. metric for effective cooperation shouldn’t be whether Syria is willing to fight Iran’s proxies in Lebanon or Iraq, but whether it continues advancing regional stability by securing its borders, limiting the flow of Iranian weapons and fighters, and coordinating politically with neighbors.

Mar 24, 2026

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Andrew J. Tabler

Can Hezbollah Be Dismantled?

Renewed warfare with Israel aside, Hezbollah will not be permanently undone unless one of two scenarios occurs: regime change in Iran, or the complete dismantlement of the group’s domestic financial system and political power.

Mar 17, 2026

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Hanin Ghaddar

Keeping Iran’s Proxies on Their Back Feet

Even as the war proceeds, much more must be done to identify how Tehran and its terrorist partners are adapting their procurement and fundraising networks to evolving conditions in the Middle East.

Spring 2026

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Matthew Levitt
Michael Jacobson

Photo showing Ukraine's President Zelensky greeting Saudi officials on the tarmac.

Washington Should Jump on Ukraine’s Outreach to the Middle East

By offering military expertise and technology to the Gulf states, Kyiv has given the U.S. government a unique opportunity to counter Iran and Russia while boosting the security of American partners and forces in the region.

Mar 13, 2026

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Anna Borshchevskaya
Matt Tavares

Study: Russia in the Middle East

Montage: Presidents Sisi (Egypt) and Putin (Russia) at the 2024 BRICS summit; a woman holds a Russian flag in Istanbul; a Russia House cultural center in Syria; a map image superimposing Russian flag over Africa/Middle East.

Maps & Graphics

After Ukraine:

Prospects for a Russian Resurgence in the Middle East

Moscow has cultivated ties with U.S. adversaries and allies alike, and Washington must respond by advancing a holistic policy that empowers Ukrainian commercial interests and addresses deficits in sanctions policy.

Jan 23, 2026

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Anna Borshchevskaya
Matt Tavares

Interactive Maps

Screen shot of the Maritime Attacks in the MENA Region interactive map

Maritime Attacks in the MENA Region (Since 2017)

Shed light on the actions of actors such as Iran and Yemen's Houthis that have threatened and attacked commercial shipping in the waters off the Middle East and North Africa.

Screenshot of the Hezbollah External Operations Interactive Map

Lebanese Hezbollah Select Worldwide Activity

Access this interactive map to explore an open-source database of Hezbollah global operations and break through the terrorist organization's "Golden Rule" of secrecy.

Screenshot of the Islamic State Worldwide Activity interactive map

The Islamic State Select Worldwide Activity

Explore the most comprehensive public archive of Islamic State attack data, media output, government designations, and legal cases to understand the organization’s global reach,