Middle East

The Middle East Program heads CSIS’s work on the region within the Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department, which analyzes a wide range of political, security, and socioeconomic issues related to the Middle East and North Africa.

A tall tower stands in front of a desert.

eL Seed: Arabic Calligraffiti

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with eL Seed about the cultural and political forces that shaped his artistic evolution and art’s role in spurring social change.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman, Natasha Hall, and Martin Pimentel — January 14, 2025

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Photo: CSIS

Photo: CSIS

China in the Middle East

November 4, 2024 • 11:30 am – 12:30 pm EST
Video On Demand
Hosted by Middle East Program
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Experts

Jon B. Alterman

Jon B. Alterman

Senior Vice President, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, and Director, Middle East Program
Seth G. Jones

Seth G. Jones

President, Defense and Security Department; Harold Brown Chair
Daniel Byman

Daniel Byman

Director, Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program
Will Todman

Will Todman

Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, Middle East Program

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Babel: Translating the Middle East

eL Seed: Arabic Calligraffiti

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with eL Seed about the cultural and political forces that shaped his artistic evolution and art’s role in spurring social change.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman, Natasha Hall, and Martin Pimentel — January 14, 2025

CSIS Babel
Babel: Translating the Middle East

Analysis: Syria’s Bid for Sanctions Relief

Asher Grant-Sasson speaks with Jon Alterman, director of the CSIS Middle East Program, about the prospects for the diplomatic efforts of Syria's new government.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman and Asher Grant-Sasson — January 7, 2025

CSIS Babel
Audio Briefs

What Role Can Turkey Play in Ukraine Negotiations?

An audio version of “What Role Can Turkey Play in Ukraine Negotiations?,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Yasir Atalan. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Yasir Atalan — December 19, 2024

Audio Briefs

The Aftermath of October 7: Regional Conflict in the Middle East

This timeline tracks the big picture ebb and flow of the conflict and highlights how Israel initially focused its efforts in Gaza before gradually shifting resources toward Lebanon by September 2024. 

Commentary by Aosheng Pusztaszeri and Emily Harding — December 19, 2024

Babel: Translating the Middle East

Special: Syria's Post-Assad Scramble

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Will Todman and Natasha Hall on the sudden collapse of the Assad regime and what will replace it.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman, Natasha Hall, and Will Todman — December 17, 2024

CSIS Babel

Global Conflicts to Watch in 2025: Escalating Humanitarian Needs

This discussion brings together humanitarian experts, policy leaders, and field practitioners to reflect on the landscape of humanitarian need, particularly in conflict settings, in 2024 and look forward to which areas need attention in 2025.  

Event — December 13, 2024

The Truth of the Matter

Piecing Together What Happened in Syria

CSIS's Norman Roule joins the podcast to discuss the actors that enabled the Assad regime to survive for so long, how bureaucratic rot in Russia and Iran enabled Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to move south so quickly, and actions the U.S. can take to support peace in the region.

Podcast Episode by H. Andrew Schwartz and Norman T. Roule — December 12, 2024

CSIS the truth of the matter

What Role Can Turkey Play in Ukraine Negotiations?

Should Trump want to pursue a diplomatic track on the war, Turkey can serve as a critical mediator in the Black Sea region, leveraging its NATO membership and ties to Ukraine and Russia.

Commentary by Yasir Atalan — December 12, 2024

The Truth of the Matter

Syria’s House of Cards

CSIS’s Natasha Hall joins the podcast to discuss the rot inside the Assad regime, the country’s new power center and the internal tensions that remain.

Podcast Episode by H. Andrew Schwartz and Natasha Hall — December 11, 2024

CSIS the truth of the matter