Jon B. Alterman

Jon B. Alterman is a senior vice president, holds the Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, and is director of the Middle East Program at CSIS. Prior to joining CSIS in 2002, he served as a member of the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State and as a special assistant to the assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, and from 2009-2019 he served as a member of the Chief of Naval Operations Executive Panel. In addition to his policy work, he often teaches Middle Eastern studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and the George Washington University. Earlier in his career, Alterman was a scholar at the U.S. Institute of Peace and at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a legislative aide to Senator Daniel P. Moynihan (D-NY) responsible for foreign policy and defense. From 1993 to 1997, Alterman was an award-winning teacher at Harvard University, where he received his Ph.D. in history.
Alterman has lectured in more than 35 countries on five continents on subjects related to the Middle East and U.S. policy toward the region. He is the author or coauthor of four books on the Middle East and the editor of five more. In addition to his academic work, he is sought out as a consultant to business and government and is a frequent commentator in print, on radio, and on television. His opinion pieces have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and other major publications. He is a former international affairs fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, where he is now a life member. He received his A.B. from Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs.
Areas of Expertise
Media Queries
- H. Andrew Schwartz
- Chief Communications Officer
- 202.775.3242
- aschwartz@csis.org
- Paige Montfort
- Media Relations Manager, External Relations
- 202.775.3173
- pmontfort@csis.org
In the News
Why China Brokered the Deal Between Iran and Saudi Arabia
Jon B. Alterman in Barron's — March 17, 2023
China’s Growing Influence as an International Mediator
Jon B. Alterman in U.S. News & World Report — March 16, 2023
News Analysis: Renewed Saudi-Iranian ties, brokered by China, force new calculations in Mideast
Jon B. Alterman in Los Angeles Times — March 15, 2023
Daniel DePetris: China gets the credit for improving Iran-Saudi Arabia ties — but the US benefits
Jon B. Alterman in Chicago Tribune — March 13, 2023
Iran-Saudi Arabia deal casts China in unfamiliar global role
Jon B. Alterman in Associated Press — March 13, 2023
China Plans New Middle East Summit as Diplomatic Role Takes Shape
Jon B. Alterman in The Wall Street Journal — March 13, 2023
Saudi-Iranian deal: Saudis demonstrating they’re ‘in control of their own destiny,’ think tank says
Jon B. Alterman in CNBC — March 12, 2023
Analysis: China role in Saudi, Iran deal a tricky test for U.S.
Jon B. Alterman in Reuters — March 11, 2023
All content by Jon B. Alterman
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Locked Out of Development: A Conversation with Dr. Steffen Hertog
Event by Jon B. Alterman and Steffen Hertog — April 17, 2023
Powering Recovery in the Middle East: Realities on the Ground
Event by Jon B. Alterman , Matthew D. Steinhelfer , Christina Abi Haidar , Paul Noumba Um , and Will Todman — March 22, 2023
Why Did China Help Saudi Arabia and Iran Resume Diplomatic Ties?
Critical Questions by Jon B. Alterman — March 10, 2023
Will Todman: Powering Recovery
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman , Will Todman , Lubna Yousef , and Caleb Harper — March 7, 2023

Powering Recovery: Reform, Reconstruction, and Renewables in Conflict-Affected States in the Arab World
Report by Will Todman , Jon B. Alterman , and Lubna Yousef — March 3, 2023
Will Israeli-Palestinian Violence Spin Out of Control?
Critical Questions by Jon B. Alterman — February 28, 2023
Deaths of Despair
Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — February 21, 2023
Natasha Hall: The Aftermath of Earthquakes in Syria
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman and Natasha Hall — February 21, 2023

Bilahari Kausikan: The Middle East in a Multipolar World
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman , Will Todman , and Caleb Harper — February 7, 2023

The Kurdish Roots of Iran’s Freedom Movement
Event by Jon B. Alterman , Jason Rezaian , Behrouz Boochani , and Tara Azizi — January 26, 2023