Middle East Program

Providing fresh analysis of the drivers of change in the Middle East

The CSIS Middle East Program is dedicated to producing “opportunity driven” research rather than “threat driven” commentary. Rather than merely reacting to crises, the program seeks to understand how emerging trends, opportunities, and pressures affect the choices people and their leaders make, with an eye toward contributing to the policy debate in the United States and abroad. 

Our work ranges from detailed reports to brief analysis papers and can be found in both the academic and popular press. We frequently host roundtables and conferences inviting dignitaries and thought leaders to join us in unpacking the Middle East. You can follow our latest work on LinkedIn, X, and Facebook. 

Our research is broad, fitting mostly into four sub-regions and four thematic areas:

Sub-Regions

Warfare, volatile oil prices, economic and social reform, and environmental change are shifting the strategic logic of the Arabian Peninsula. The Middle East Program works with others to understand the new challenges and opportunities on the Arabian Peninsula and their impacts on regional affairs and global politics. The program’s Arabian Peninsula work includes the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Yemen, and adjoining Iraq. Find out more here. 

Iran and its allies across the region will play a crucial role shaping future regional conflicts and coloring the region’s geopolitics. Questions and uncertainty continue to surround the future of U.S. engagement with Iran. The Middle East Program examines evolving domestic trends within Iran, Iran’s regional engagement, and U.S. policy toward Iran. Find out more here.

The Israel-Hamas war has emerged as a defining moment for the region, Syria’s decades-long conflict continues to fester, and Egypt and Lebanon’s simmering economic stressors threaten to tip over into a broader crisis. The Middle East program analyzes the political, geopolitical, and humanitarian dynamics across Egypt and the Levant. Find out more here.

Migration, environmental degradation, and socio-political change have drawn the Maghreb—defined by the program as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya—from the margins of U.S. Middle East policy toward mainstream concerns. The Middle East Program is examining the changing political, economic, and security trends in the region. Find out more here.

Themes

Russia and China are expanding their presence in the Middle East, while global trends that put new emphasis on middle powers and the Global South are reshaping the strategic approach of Middle Eastern states. The Middle East Program is examining key trends in Great Power engagement with the Middle East and the region’s evolving geostrategy. Find out more here.

For more than a decade, calls for social, political, and economic change have reshaped the region. The Middle East Program is tracking key socio-political dynamics to identify the trends that will continue to shape the region over the next decades. Find out more here.

The Middle East contains both the world’s largest energy reserves, as well as some of the most water-scarce nations in the world. As the region grapples with the global energy transition and accelerating climate change, the Middle East Program is exploring how these dynamics are restructuring state-society relationships and how governments and civic groups can respond. Find out more here.

From Gaza to Syria to Yemen, the Middle East is home to some of the world’s most complex humanitarian emergencies. The region receives billions of dollars in aid every year, but international donors are rethinking how best to scale and direct their assistance. The Middle East Program is investigating key trends in aid and reconstruction to inform international assistance. Find out more here.

Contact Information

Media Queries

Featured Analysis

Photo: ABDULAZIZ KETAZ/AFP via Getty Images

Photo: ABDULAZIZ KETAZ/AFP via Getty Images

Can Syria Recover? Why Sanctions Relief Is Not Enough

President Trump’s recent announcement to lift sanctions on Syria is an important first step, but it’s not enough. The United States and Syria’s other partners now need to clear the remaining obstacles to stability and economic recovery.

Commentary by Natasha Hall and Ninar Fawal — May 29, 2025

See all analysis by the Middle East Program

Featured Projects

Photo: iLab/CSIS

Photo: iLab/CSIS

Babel: Translating the Middle East

Babel will take you beyond the headlines to discuss what’s really happening in the Middle East and North Africa. It features regional experts who explain what’s going on, provide context on pivotal developments, and highlight trends you may have missed. Jon Alterman, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, hosts the podcast along with his colleagues from the Middle East Program. This podcast is made possible through the generous support of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates. All views, positions, and conclusions expressed here should be understood to be solely of those of the speaker(s). Listen on Apple Podcasts.

Podcast Series by Jon B. Alterman, Will Todman, and Natasha Hall

All Middle East Program Content

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Israel and Iran At War: What Comes Next? 

CSIS experts Daniel Byman and Doreen Horschig join Mona Yacoubian to discuss current developments in the Iran-Israel conflict, moderated by Will Todman.

Event — June 17, 2025

Can the Gulf’s Iran Policy Survive the War?

“Israel and the Gulf have rival visions for Iran’s role in the region. Now Washington has to pick one,” writes CSIS’s Mona Yacoubian in Foreign Policy.

Commentary by Mona Yacoubian — June 17, 2025

Audio Briefs

Middle East on Edge After Israeli Strikes Derail Nuclear Talks

An audio version of “⁠Middle East on Edge After Israeli Strikes Derail Nuclear Talks,” a new Critical Questions by CSIS's Mona Yacoubian. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Mona Yacoubian — June 13, 2025

Audio Briefs
Audio Briefs

Did Trump Just Upend Decades of U.S. Middle East Policy?

An audio version of “⁠⁠Did Trump Just Upend Decades of U.S. Middle East Policy?⁠,⁠” a new commentary by CSIS's Mona Yacoubian. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Mona Yacoubian — June 10, 2025

Audio Briefs

No Sheep? No Problem

The Moroccan king urges Moroccans to forgo the slaughter of sheep this Eid due to an ongoing drought.

Blog Post by Sadeen Haddad — June 9, 2025

(Un)scripted Diplomacy?

A popular Saudi Ramadan show has an unexpected focus on China.

Blog Post by Ninar Fawal — June 4, 2025

Can Syria Recover? Why Sanctions Relief Is Not Enough

President Trump’s recent announcement to lift sanctions on Syria is an important first step, but it’s not enough. The United States and Syria’s other partners now need to clear the remaining obstacles to stability and economic recovery.

Commentary by Natasha Hall and Ninar Fawal — May 29, 2025

Babel: Translating the Middle East

Babel Special: Jon Alterman's Next Chapter

On this special edition of Babel, Will Todman speaks with Jon Alterman. They discuss Jon’s reflections on 22 years directing the CSIS Middle East Program and the lessons Jon will take to his new CSIS role as the Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman and Will Todman — May 22, 2025

CSIS Babel