Unable to maintain control over its borders and airspace, Baghdad’s lack of sovereign control and centralized authority is a liability for the Gulf states. Fortunately, the time is ripe for a change.

Muhanad Seloom

The ongoing conflict centered around Iran is having a profound impact inside Iraq, raising the stakes on divisive issues ranging from sovereign power to regional alignments.  

Zeidon Alkinani

The Iraqi government’s close ties to Iran are becoming a growing vulnerability at a time of significant geopolitical transformation in the region.

Ranj Alaaldin

An unprecedented close to decades of insurgency challenges Türkiye to navigate a delicate transition, balancing security, political reform and social reconciliation.  

Özge Genç

In this Council Views, experts from the ME Council reflect on the past 100 days of the new Trump administration's disruptive foreign policy, unpacking what recent changes mean for MENA and how states are responding—from USAID and State Department cuts, to the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, to Gulf states’ posturing ahead of the president’s expected visit

Beijing’s role in regional security remains limited by its own non-interventionist policy, continued U.S. dominance and regional states’ push for strategic autonomy. 

SUN Xia