Policy Analysis

Salam has promised to enforce accountability and implement the ceasefire with Israel; independent Shia cabinet ministers can help him reach those goals while showing there is an alternative to Hezbollah.

The Iraqi prime minister portrayed Baghdad's non-intervention in Syria as a sovereign decision, but Iranian leaders gave a different explanation.

Although the Palestinian Authority’s increased governance activities may not indicate deep change, they could help stabilize the security situation in the West Bank and, perhaps, pave the way for PA rule in postwar Gaza.

ناقلات النفط الروسية الخاضعة للعقوبات، والتي تعرضت لهجمات الحوثيين في عامي 2023 و2024، تغيّر أسماءها وترفع العلم الجيبوتي تفادياً للعقوبات الغربية المشددة.

With the U.S. military presence on a potentially short timetable, officials should prioritize policies that ensure the continued security of Islamic State detention facilities, such as brokering local ceasefire agreements and alleviating Turkish concerns.

لا تعتزم الإدارة الأمريكية القادمة إجبار إسرائيل على التعاون مع منظمة مثيرة للجدل كهذه، لذا ينبغي على المسؤولين التركيز على الضغط على الوكالات الأممية الأخرى لتحمل مسؤولياتها في غزة- أو المخاطرة بتقليص تمويلها.

If he uses his major regional leverage to curtail the Iranian nuclear threat and end the Gaza war, he will be well-placed to resume other important tasks that have been sitting on the back burner—including Israeli-Saudi normalization.

While Iraqi fears of a resurgence of ISIS are legitimate, understanding the realities and opportunities presented with Syria's new government while rejecting sectarian rhetoric are vital for the future of Iraq's relationship with its neighbor.

In this episode of the Institute’s Syria Breakdown series, Turkey analyst Soner Cagaptay traces the revolutionary transformation of Ankara's relationship with Damascus from heated enemies to the closest of allies.

بالتزامن مع اقتراب تسلم ترامب لمنصبه، توخت الجماعات الإرهابية المدعومة من قبل إيران الحذر في طريقة إحيائها لذكرى قتلى كانون الثاني/ يناير 2020.

شاهد أو اقرأ تحليلات جنرال سابق في "الجيش اللبناني"، ورئيس شعبة التخطيط الاستراتيجي السابق في” جيش الدفاع الإسرائيلي“، ومحلل خبير في الشؤون اللبنانية ضمن سلسلة جديدة من الحلقات الافتراضية التي عقدها معهد واشنطن.

The regime’s fears of new oil restrictions, simmering domestic unrest, eroding regional deterrence, and unpredictable U.S.-Israeli military action can all be leveraged to steer Khamenei away from racing toward a nuclear weapon.

Moscow’s position has weakened, but not for long, raising the need for quick U.S. action on sanctions, investments, and broader economic assistance.

Choosing a reform-minded president would be a good first step, but absent a concerted effort to consolidate the setbacks to Hezbollah, the organization will simply reassert its murderous grip.

If Washington and its European partners fail to remediate ongoing disputes over trade rights and Western Sahara, they may leave room for Russia and China to assert more influence in the kingdom.

Beijing consistently supported the regime’s brutal repressive measures, so cozying up to the rebel-led transition government may be more difficult than it expects.

The Trump administration should give nuclear diplomacy a final shot—while preparing to use military force.

In this episode of the Institute’s Syria Breakdown series, Russia analyst Anna Borshchevskaya explains why Russia's long military intervention in Syria failed to protect the regime of its local ally, Bashar al-Assad, from collapse in the face of a stunning rebel advance.

في الوقت الذي يبدي الغربيون فيه مخاوفهم بشأن استيلاء الإسلاميين على السلطة في دمشق، فإن طريقة تعامل العرب السنة مع القاعدة العلوية الأوسع لعائلة الأسد ستقدم رؤية ثاقبة حول الموقف الحقيقي للحكومة الناشئة من قضايا التسامح الديني والعدالة الانتقالية وبناء الدولة.

After blows to Iranian proxies across the region, reformists led by President Pezeshkian are prioritizing diplomacy and economic recovery, whereas hardliners are lamenting lost battlefield opportunities and seeking to preserve the regime.