Arabian Peninsula and Iraq

Political, economic, and security trends in the GCC states, Iraq, and Yemen

Warfare and volatile oil prices have pummeled the Gulf. The Middle East Program works with others at CSIS to appreciate the new challenges and opportunities in the Gulf and their impact on regional affairs and global politics. We perform original research and analysis and convene events that highlight issues of importance in the Gulf to policy audiences. The program defines the Gulf as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, and Yemen.

See the Middle East Program's publications and past events on the Gulf HERE.

Featured Project

Featured Testimony

Photo: Michael Kohler/CSIS

Photo: Michael Kohler/CSIS

A Strategic Approach to Red Sea Security

Iran did not create the Houthi movement, but it has long seen it as useful. The Houthis have been a low-cost way to give Iran additional regional reach. They represent a modest investment in regional forces that reject the legitimacy of the status quo.

Congressional Testimony by Jon B. Alterman — February 14, 2024

Featured Analysis

Photo: FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/Getty Images

Photo: FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/Getty Images

Rethinking Saudi Arabia

Dr. Jon Alterman discusses progress and setbacks in Saudi Arabia's sociopolitical reform efforts and what these mean for U.S. engagement (or disengagement) with the kingdom in the future.

Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — June 23, 2022

See all analysis on the Arabian Peninsula and Iraq

Featured Podcast

A tall tower stands in front of a desert.

Hasan Alhasan: The Strategies of Gulf States

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dr. Hasan Alhasan, a research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies based in Manama, Bahrain. Prior to joining IISS, he served for five years on the staff of the Crown Prince of Bahrain as a senior analyst on foreign policy and national security. Together, they compare Gulf states’ foreign policies and their underlying strategies. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Will Todman and Leah Hickert to discuss how Gulf states handle shifts in U.S. strategies and what the Gulf expects from its Great Power partners.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman, Will Todman, and Leah Hickert — July 23, 2024

All Arabian Peninsula and Iraq Content

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The Middle East’s View of the “China Model”

China does not seek to replace or outcompete the United States in the Middle East. Instead, China is working to untie the Middle East from the United States and make the region and the world more receptive to China through its model of political and economic development.

Report by Jon B. Alterman — September 19, 2024

Houthi Aggression and a Roadmap for Peace in Yemen

Maged Al-Madhaji, chair and co-founder of the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies, joins Dr. Jon Alterman, director of the CSIS Middle East Program, to discuss Houthi attacks on international shipping and the war in Yemen.

Event — September 4, 2024

Houthi Aggression and a Roadmap for Peace in Yemen

The CSIS Middle East Program hosted a conversation with Maged Al-Madhaji, chair and co-founder of the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies, on the Houthis’ strategy attacking shipping, military responses, and a way forward to end the war in Yemen.

Transcript — September 4, 2024

Why Did the United States Just Bomb Yemen?

On January 11, U.S. and British militaries attacked 60 Houthi targets. Jon Alterman explains why this happened, the regional dynamics at play, and what this means for peace talks in Yemen.  

Critical Questions by Jon B. Alterman — January 12, 2024

China’s Essential Role in the Gulf States’ Energy Transitions

China has established itself as an essential partner in Gulf states’ energy transition, serving as an investor and developer in renewable energy projects. Western governments, however, have been reluctant to compete with Chinese enterprises in the region.

Brief by Faris Al-Sulayman and Jon B. Alterman — December 11, 2023

Biden’s Efforts to Bring Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords

Jon Alterman argues that the Biden administration came into office with a pledge of normalcy, but its emphasis on Israel-Saudi ties is markedly different from its predecessors. Even so, the administration is determined not to let the Middle East become a distraction.

Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — September 22, 2023

Profile: Arab Youth Climate Movement – Qatar

Climate change and environmental issues have only recently become a subject of public discussion in the Gulf. In the run up to COP21 in Paris in 2015, a group of young people formed the Arab Youth Climate Movement – Qatar (AYCM) to address this issue, becoming the first fully independent youth-led association in Qatar focused on youth and climate issues.

Blog Post by Will Todman — September 20, 2023

Roundtable Summary: Civil Society and Environmental Action in the Gulf

As Gulf governments increase their collaboration on environmental issues, CSIS convened a private roundtable with Gulf civil society actors to explore the role that civil society actors can play in bolstering state-level collaboration efforts and driving environmental action. Participants included academics, activists, and analysts from Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar. They debated avenues to strengthen regional collaboration, pathways for civil society actors to influence government policy, and ways in which international actors can bolster their efforts. 

Blog Post by Will Todman — September 20, 2023