Policy Analysis

To reopen the Strait of Hormuz after the latest dip in the Iran roller coaster, the Trump administration will need to marry renewed blockade efforts with a more collective-minded diplomatic approach.

Circumstances are ripe for a successful visit, but both presidents are looking for more than bonhomie—Aoun needs practical U.S. commitments of operational and financial support, while Trump needs additional evidence of Beirut’s seriousness on disarming Hezbollah.

High-profile funeral events in Iran provided an opportunity for the Houthis to pressure Saudi Arabia, and for Tehran to demonstrate support to its partner and signal it has cards to play at another maritime chokepoint.

The framework's success will largely depend on the creation of a U.S.-led, third-party verification system to avoid the shortcomings experienced with previous agreements, bolstered by effective intelligence support and international financing.

As long as the group’s economic, political, and institutional ecosystem remains intact, officials will need to pair disarmament efforts with a sustained strategy to target financial networks, political influence, and judicial infiltration.

Join us for an expert conversation exploring the implications of President Mahmoud Abbas's recent decree calling for Palestinian legislative elections this fall. Watch live starting at 12:00 noon EDT (1600 GMT) on Thursday, July 23, 2026.

Despite significant progress, Iraq still has a long way to go to meet the Trump administration’s expectations for reining in Iranian influence.

Former senior U.S. defense officials join a Russia expert to discuss how the Iran crisis is shaping Moscow’s military, political, and economic ambitions in the region.

Even if Washington resumes negotiations, Tehran will keep sending its proxies to commit attacks, buy weapons, and establish sham charities on the continent, so European governments must crack down harder.

Despite other pressing priorities and the imminent end of the coalition mission, Zaidi’s trip is a vital opportunity to make sure Baghdad has the targeted assistance it needs to keep IS from resurging at a time of great domestic and regional turbulence.

Recent crackdowns against Iran's Baloch minority over tensions around mining in the province suggest that the rift between the regime and many Baloch is deepening in the post-war period.

The heftiest portion of the theoretical financial windfall discussed in the U.S.-Iran agreement is unlikely to materialize, let alone have a big economic or political impact inside the Islamic Republic.

The Maghreb can help counter China’s growing pressure on “critical” fertilizer supply chains, particularly if Washington focuses on mutually beneficial economic partnerships rather than democratic conditionality alone.

As UN peacekeepers prepare to depart, an EU mission could help boost Washington’s efforts in Lebanon—provided Europeans can closely coordinate their proposals with the future UN presence and the U.S. focus on sovereignty and disarmament.

Recent Lebanese media engagement with Israelis is a welcome sign, but U.S. mediators should let this organic trend gain momentum for the time being rather than pressuring Beirut to make immediate legislative changes.

Although local religious and social differences would present some obstacles, the proven exportability of Rabat’s deradicalization machinery and the kingdom’s good working relations with the Israeli government make it an intriguing candidate for inclusion in the wider Gaza stabilization effort.

This landmark document offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build real peace between Beirut and Jerusalem, but progress needs to be swift and visible given the threat of violent opposition from Iran and its local allies.

Watch an expert preview of next month's NATO summit in Ankara as the alliance deals with lingering tensions from Ukraine, Iran, and other crises.

The potential upsides of implementing the Trump administration’s poorly conceived idea are negligible at best, while the downsides would be legion, including further damage to Middle East stability and American interests.

Constricted traffic patterns, escalating warnings, uncertain mine threats, and a new drone attack all suggest that Tehran has no intention of willingly going back to business as usual in the Strait of Hormuz, regardless of diplomatic breakthroughs.