Middle East Program
Providing fresh analysis of the drivers of change in the Middle East
The CSIS Middle East Program provides fresh analysis of the drivers of change in the Middle East to decision makers and thought leaders in the United States and abroad.
The Middle East Program is a source for new ideas that go beyond the conventional wisdom, disseminated through written scholarship, events, and commentary in leading news outlets.
Follow us on Twitter @CSISMidEast and like us on Facebook.
Dr. Alterman serves as the director of the Middle East Program, a position he has held since 2002. Under his leadership, the Middle East Program has launched a biweekly podcast and numerous miniseries, convened events with many of the top thinkers in the field, and conducted innovative research on the Middle East including work on the Chinese influence, sustainability, and cultural shifts in the region.
Contact Information
- Daniel Sharp
- Associate Director and Associate Fellow, Middle East Program
- 202.775.3179
- DSharp@csis.org
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
Featured Analysis

Photo by:GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty Images
Saudi Arabia Steps Out
The recent China-brokered agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran represents a new era of Saudi diplomacy, shifting away from passive agreement with the United States and toward greater independent engagement in the region and beyond.
Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — March 22, 2023

Rescuing Aid in Syria
Report by Natasha Hall — February 14, 2022

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

Babel: U.S. Power and Influence in the Middle East
Podcast Series by Jon B. Alterman

China Podcast Miniseries
Featured Projects
All content by Middle East Program
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A Mezze: Blame it on the Bitcoin
Podcast Episode — December 20, 2022

LGBTQ+ Advocacy in the Middle East Backfires
Commentary by Will Todman — December 16, 2022
C. Raja Mohan: India's Middle East Strategy
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman , Will Todman , and Lubna Yousef — December 13, 2022

A Mezze: Patching Jordan's Water Leaks
Podcast Episode — December 6, 2022

World Cup Geopolitics
Podcast Episode by H. Andrew Schwartz and Jon B. Alterman — December 1, 2022

Tamar Hermann: Israel's Rightward Shift
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman , Natasha Hall , and Daniel Sharp — November 29, 2022

Blame It on the Bitcoin: How Cryptocurrency Affects Libya's Electricity Grid
Newsletter by Lubna Yousef — November 28, 2022

Muhammad Ali’s Foreign Policy Lessons
Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — November 18, 2022
Helen Lackner: Yemen in Conflict
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman , Natasha Hall , and Caleb Harper — November 15, 2022
