Policy Analysis

The self-styled Iraqi muqawama (resistance) are probably being held in reserve until the U.S. joins the war, and thus far they are acting cohesively and with restraint.

Experts assess the roles that various actors may seek to play during and after conflict, including Hezbollah, the Houthis, Iraqi militias, Palestinian factions, and international powers such as China, Russia, and the EU.

What does it mean for Damascus, for Washington, and for U.S. partners and allies now that the Trump administration has dismissed fifty years worth of economic sanctions against Syria?

Just as with the Hezbollah missile threat in Lebanon, completely eliminating the Iranian nuclear threat is not the best yardstick for Israel’s current campaign.

Join us for an expert webcast examining regional and global implications of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. Watch live starting at 12:00 noon EDT (1600 GMT) on Friday, June 20, 2025.

U.S. and Israeli experts assess the quickly evolving situation as the IDF continues striking targets across the country, Tehran retaliates with missile salvos, and the international community mulls how best to contain the crisis.

Over the past number of years, many Iraqis have become increasingly concerned about media restrictions imposed by Iraqi authorities, who have banned numerous applications, electronic platforms, and news websites.

A closer look at the technical indicators that experts and officials will be looking for to determine whether Israel’s campaign is setting the program back, and how much.

A compilation of analyses on the military and nuclear impact of Israel’s initial strikes, Tehran’s response options, the Trump administration’s next steps, public reactions inside Iran, and more.

Despite the Iran-Israel showdown, if European and Arab states prove they are willing to do the diplomatic and financial heavy lifting required for progress with the Palestinians, the reticent Trump administration might be encouraged to engage.

The breaking of the national security state is indeed a crisis, but it also represents an opportunity to build a compromise approach tailored to the world’s present-day threats, similar to the situation policymakers faced immediately after World War II.

The administration’s future approach to the region seems destined to echo its tendencies since January, including an emphasis on negotiated deals (as with Gaza and Iran), limited use of military force (as with the Houthis), and massive economic agreements in the name of countering China’s influence.

A cabinet minister and senior member of the Iran-backed terrorist organization Asaib Ahl al-Haq recently announced nuclear cooperation deals with two U.S. adversaries.

The government’s plans for (and capacity to carry out) amnesties and transitional justice remain uncertain, spurring some Sunnis and Alawites to take matters into their own hands and contribute to a rising wave of intercommunal violence.

The group's name has been making the rounds for months, but videos and other actual evidence of its claimed attacks against Israel are only now beginning to emerge.

Beijing specializes in exactly the type of infrastructure reconstruction assistance that Syria so urgently needs and may look to exploit any further delays or prohibitions stemming from U.S. export controls.

An in-depth look at why Congress should follow through on calls to sanction the group, which has been closely tied to Iran-backed terrorism for decades.

Three experts examine the security and political situation six months after the ceasefire agreement was signed, including the implications for next year’s Lebanese election, Palestinian refugee camps, and eventual normalization with Israel.

Dramatic changes have been taking place in the West Bank, driven mainly by Israeli actions that have reduced terrorism but are simultaneously striving to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Twenty years on from the fall of Saddam Hussein, Iraq continues to suffer from a deep crisis in the practice of its democracy.