Iraq’s PM Sets a New Course Amid Persistent Domestic and Regional Challenges
Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi signaled last week that Iraq was ready to begin playing, once again, a significant role in the security and stability of the region.
Iran
Yemen Descends into Protracted Violence
Edited by Medlir Meda, PhD
Fellow, Middle East Policy Council
Fellow, Middle East Policy Council
The violence in Yemen has worsened. This time Marib and Hodeidah are the site of a pitched battle between government forces and the Iranian-backed Houthis. This comes after a series of meetings in Yemen and elsewhere in the region had raised the possibility of achieving a much-needed ceasefire.
Iran's Regional Dynamics: A Piecemeal Approach
On June 24th, we hosted our 2nd Contributor Dialogue, highlighting recent journal essays offering insight on current events.
Conservative Camp in the Ascendance in Iran’s Forthcoming Presidential Elections
Edited by Medlir Mema, PhD
Fellow, The Middle East Policy Council
Fellow, The Middle East Policy Council
Iranians are due to go to the polls on June 18 to vote for the country’s next president. With the real power in the hands of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, many consider the presidential race an attempt to conceal the country’s democratic deficit.
The Fadeout of the Pax Americana in the Middle East
Ambassador Chas W. Freeman, Jr. (USFS, Ret.)
Visiting Scholar, Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, Brown University
Visiting Scholar, Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, Brown University
By video link from Washington, D.C., 19 May 2021
The Middle East is where Africa, Asia, and Europe meet, where the three Abrahamic religions were born, and where their holiest places are. It’s where the planet’s hydrocarbon resources are most abundant and accessible, and where the strategic lines of com
The Middle East Brief: Uncovering the Blind Spots
Welcome to The BlindSpot, a production of The Middle East Policy Council, co-hosted by Shannon Beacom and Medlir Mema. The aim of The BlindSpot is to provide fresh perspectives on important issues and developments in the Middle East.
Will New US Approach to Yemen Yield Results?
Views from the Region
The new US administration announced earlier this month that it would revoke the “terrorist group” designation of Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen in an effort to move forward the peace process in the country.
A Region on Edge as the US Considers Its Approach to the Iran Nuclear Deal
Views from the Region
It was understood from the beginning that one of US President Joe Biden’s greatest foreign-policy challenges would be a return to the negotiation table with Iran. Mr.