In this episode of Taking the Edge Off the Middle East, host Brian Katulis sits down with Fahad Nazer, spokesperson for the Saudi Arabian Embassy in the US, to discuss the evolving US-Saudi relationship amid unprecedented regional volatility. Central to …
President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE reignited debate over U.S. ties to authoritarian regimes. But the controversy underscores a deeper question: why has democracy struggled to take root in the Arab world? In this …
Introduction Sustaining food security in North Africa,1 is a complex and evolving challenge, influenced by the region’s arid climate, limited water resources, and sparse arable land. In response, efforts to enhance food security by governments, farmers, …
Hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj speak with MEI Senior Fellow Mohammed Soliman about President Donald Trump’s recent trip to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, which yielded a wave of major US-Gulf tech and AI deals. Soliman explains how these …
The Middle East Institute Arts and Culture Center invites you to a special evening with acclaimed author and literary scholar Azar Nafisi, celebrated for her international bestseller Reading Lolita in Tehran. Drawing on both personal experience and …
So much for the afterglow of US President Donald Trump’s historic trip to the Middle East last week (May 13-16). The harsh realities of the region’s threats and challenges, like Iran and the Gaza war, stubbornly persist following the pomp and circumstance …
Ambassador Dennis Ross joins host Brian Katulis to break down what President Trump's recent trip through Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar revealed about the administration's approach to foreign policy in the Middle East—and what it means for the …
The sudden announcement of a US-Houthi ceasefire, brokered by Oman, has halted Washington’s air campaign in Yemen and raised urgent questions about the future of Red Sea security. What prompted the deal, and what are its implications for maritime shipping, …
US President Donald Trump arrived in Qatar today (May 14), after the first leg of his Middle East trip in Saudi Arabia, where he had doubled down on America’s economic ties to the region’s leading economic powerhouse and made a surprise announcement …
Two recent developments present the new Syrian government with a critical opportunity to stabilize the country. First, US President Donald Trump, during his visit to Saudi Arabia, announced plans to lift sanctions on Syria, opening the door to much-needed …
Neoconservatives and MAGA isolationists are locked in a battle for the soul of Republican strategy. Nowhere is the split more glaring than over the Middle East: hawks view it as a proving ground for American power and allegiance to Israel, while …
This week, US President Donald Trump makes his inaugural visit to the Middle East since the start of his second term, traveling to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates on May 13-16. Amid the heightened focus on US policy toward the Middle East …
On March 10, 2025, Ahmed al-Sharaa, the president of Syria, and Mazloum Abdi, the commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), signed a historic agreement, ending a long-running divide between Damascus and the Democratic Autonomous …
I. Executive Summary President Donald J. Trump’s trip to the Middle East next week comes on the heels of more than three months of whirlwind activity in US foreign policy where the region has been a higher priority than it was in the early months of the …
President Donald Trump is heading to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE on his first foreign trip of his second term, with major investment deals, defense cooperation, and tech diplomacy on the agenda. What are the Gulf states hoping to gain, and what does …
In this wide-ranging conversation, Ambassador James Jeffrey joins host Brian Katulis to unpack the Trump administration’s early moves in its second term and what they signal for US foreign policy in the Middle East. From navigating alliances to confronting …
As Saudi Arabia accelerates its transformation into a global technology powerhouse, the United States has a pivotal opportunity to redefine its partnership with the kingdom. Moving beyond the traditional oil-for-security framework, a new partnership …
The arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has sparked the largest wave of public protests in Turkey in over a decade, signaling a potential turning point in the country’s political trajectory. As the opposition rallies support and President Erdoğan …
This article is an expanded version of a piece to be published by Gulan Media. Iran appears to be reorienting its approach to diplomatic engagement with its neighbors and the West by prioritizing the economic benefits of cooperation. While Iran’s overtures …
President Donald Trump reached the 100-day mark in his second term this week seeing a sharp drop in his domestic political standing. His approval rating at this point in his presidency is the lowest of any other president in at least the last seven decades …
