Experts

MEI Fellows draw on deep ties and decades of experience working in the region to build better understanding of Middle East policy and culture through producing original analysis, leading dialogues and public events, and working with the media and members of the policy community. They range in experience from former US diplomats and military leaders to prominent scholars on the forefront of their fields.

Media Inquiries

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Israel-Palestine

Palestine

Israel/Palestine: What the Iran War Broke and What May Yet Be Salvaged

September 28, 2026

Economics

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Gulf and Arabian Peninsula

Levant

North Africa

The Mecca Joint Défense Agreement: A New Geometry of Middle Eastern Power?

September 30, 2026

Great Powers in the Middle East

US Policy in the Middle East

Bahrain

Iran

Iraq

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The Mecca Alliance Meets the Red Sea – Saudi Arabia’s New Defense Pact Faces Its First Major Test

September 29, 2026

Defense and Security

Regional International Politics

US Policy in the Middle East

Afghanistan

Iraq

US Regional Defense Policy: Strategic Prioritization and the Promotion of Collective Defense

September 28, 2026

Economics

Energy

Algeria

Egypt

Iran

Iraq

Israel

Kuwait

Libya

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Gulf Energy Markets: The Region’s Edge Will Survive — At a Price

September 28, 2026

Climate

Defense and Security

Democracy and Human Rights

Energy

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Great Powers in the Middle East

Terrorism

Algeria

Morocco

Tunisia

MINURSO’s Future: What the Security Council’s Choice May Reveal

October 14, 2026

Great Powers in the Middle East

US Policy in the Middle East

Iran

Iran’s Strategic Thinking: Lessons Learned and What Comes Next

September 28, 2026

Defense and Security

Democracy and Human Rights

Energy

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Great Powers in the Middle East

Nuclear Proliferation

Terrorism

Iran

Turkey

NATO: Time for a Europe-US Transatlantic Security Bargain

September 28, 2026

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Israel-Palestine

Regional International Politics

US Policy in the Middle East

Bahrain

Egypt

Iran

Iraq

Israel

Jordan

Kuwait

Lebanon

Oman

Palestine

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Syria

Turkey

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Yemen

Kim Ghattas on a Murder That Explains the Middle East

October 14, 2026

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Israel-Palestine

Regional International Politics

US Policy in the Middle East

Egypt

Israel

Jordan

Palestine

Israel’s E-1 Settlement Tender

October 8, 2026

Defense and Security

Terrorism

US Policy in the Middle East

Afghanistan

Iran

Iraq

Israel

Jordan

Lebanon

Palestine

Syria

Turkey

Syria: Opportunity Amid Regional Adversity

September 28, 2026

Climate

Defense and Security

Energy

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Great Powers in the Middle East

Egypt

Israel

Palestine

Sudan

Egypt: How the Iran War Has Affected Egypt’s Calculations

September 28, 2026

Defense and Security

Democracy and Human Rights

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Great Powers in the Middle East

Lebanon

Syria

Lebanon: Where the Axis of Resistance Breaks First

September 28, 2026

Great Powers in the Middle East

Israel-Palestine

Regional International Politics

US Policy in the Middle East

Israel

Israel: Strategic Divergence and Weakened Deterrence

September 28, 2026

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Cybersecurity

Emerging Technologies

Space

Bahrain

Kuwait

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Gulf AI: The War as a Catalyst for Deepening Regional-US Strategic Tech Cooperation

September 28, 2026

Democracy and Human Rights

Great Powers in the Middle East

Iraq

Syria

Turkey

Turkey: Ankara’s Nuclear Ambitions in the Post-Iran War Environment

September 28, 2026

Defense and Security

Democracy and Human Rights

Economics

Energy

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Great Powers in the Middle East

Nuclear Proliferation

Terrorism

US Policy in the Middle East

Iran

Iranian Domestic Politics: Who Is Really in Charge in Tehran Now?

September 28, 2026

Democracy and Human Rights

Terrorism

Afghanistan

Pakistan

The Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict: A strategic concern for the US

January 22, 2026

Economics

Energy

Bahrain

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Gulf Political Economy: The Cost of Accommodating Iran

September 28, 2026

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Jordan

Syria

Governing the day after in Syria

December 19, 2024

Regional International Politics

Terrorism

US Policy in the Middle East

Afghanistan

Pakistan

The Case for a Middle Course in Afghanistan

September 10, 2026

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Regional International Politics

Terrorism

Iran

Yemen

Yemen: The Houthis’ Role in the Next Evolution of the Axis of Resistance

September 28, 2026

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Syria

Russia rethinks the status quo in southern Syria

August 13, 2021

Regional International Politics

Algeria

Egypt

Libya

Morocco

Tunisia

Turkey

The Other MoU: Launching a Europe-Gulf Resilience Initiative After the US-Iran Deal

June 29, 2026

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Syria

Preserving evidence and securing justice for Assad’s crimes

December 20, 2024

Climate

Energy

Bahrain

Egypt

Israel

Jordan

Kuwait

Lebanon

Oman

Palestine

Saudi Arabia

Syria

Turkey

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Weekly Briefing: A cease-fire for Thanksgiving?

November 26, 2024

Israel

Weekly Briefing: Syria reignites

December 3, 2024

Cybersecurity

Defense and Security

US Policy in the Middle East

Israel

A Post-War Model for Verifying Iran’s Missile Arsenal

June 26, 2026

Energy

Great Powers in the Middle East

Regional International Politics

US Policy in the Middle East

Kuwait

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The New Old Middle East

August 4, 2026

Nuclear Proliferation

Regional International Politics

Bahrain

Iran

Israel

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Weekly Briefing: Iran’s growing burden of confronting Israel

October 15, 2024

Terrorism

Syria

Building Syria’s new army: Future plans and the challenges ahead

June 12, 2025

Democracy and Human Rights

Egypt

Sudan

What’s behind Sudan’s humanitarian crisis?

November 14, 2025

Jordan

Jordan’s Economy Weathers Iran War’s Shocks and Finds New Opportunities

October 7, 2026

Economics

Bahrain

Iran

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Qatar’s LNG expansion plans and the issue of market oversupply

May 21, 2024

Economics

Regional International Politics

Terrorism

Syria

Syria’s economic freefall continues despite Arab League return

August 16, 2023

Regional International Politics

US Policy in the Middle East

Jordan

Lebanon

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Syria

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The struggle for the future of Lebanon

February 24, 2025

Terrorism

Iraq

Syria

Rebalancing Russia’s Mediterranean strategy: From showing the flag to retreating to the gray zone

February 4, 2025

US Policy in the Middle East

Iran

Washington’s Four Wrong Assumptions About the Iran War

August 13, 2026

Defense and Security

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Palestine

Energy

Nuclear Proliferation

Bahrain

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Impact of the Russo-Ukrainian war on energy flows from the Arab Gulf states

February 11, 2025

Economics

Energy

Algeria

Egypt

Israel

Libya

Morocco

Turkey

Turkey Competes with Israel and India to be a Major MENA Weapons Supplier

March 21, 2025

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Bahrain

Iraq

Jordan

Lebanon

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Tunisia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Weekly Briefing: Remembrance of Mahsa Jina Amini and calls for change remain strong, as Pezeshkian’s cabinet disappoints

September 17, 2024

US Policy in the Middle East

Bahrain

Egypt

Iraq

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Syria

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Gulf: The War Has Shaken Relations With Washington

September 28, 2026

Defense and Security

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Terrorism

US Policy in the Middle East

Bahrain

Iran

Iraq

Kuwait

Oman

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Yemen

Defense and Security

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Great Powers in the Middle East

Israel-Palestine

Regional International Politics

Terrorism

Afghanistan

Iraq

Kuwait

Lebanon

Pakistan

Syria

What the Gulf (and America) Can Learn from Ukraine

July 13, 2026

Great Powers in the Middle East

Nuclear Proliferation

US Policy in the Middle East

Afghanistan

Iran

Jordan

Syria

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The Battle for Hormuz Is Not the War

October 6, 2026

Defense and Security

Economics

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Regional International Politics

Terrorism

US Policy in the Middle East

Algeria

Bahrain

Egypt

Iraq

Syria

Turkey

The Americans Are Gone. Will Iraq’s Militias Disarm?

October 8, 2026

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

US Policy in the Middle East

Algeria

Bahrain

Egypt

Iran

Iraq

Jordan

Kuwait

Libya

Morocco

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Sudan

Tunisia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Yemen

Great Powers in the Middle East

Regional International Politics

US Policy in the Middle East

Lebanon

How Lebanon can be Trump’s first success in a troubled region

October 14, 2026

Defense and Security

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Israel-Palestine

Nuclear Proliferation

Regional International Politics

Terrorism

US Policy in the Middle East

Algeria

Bahrain

Egypt

Iran

Iraq

Kuwait

Libya

Morocco

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Sudan

Tunisia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Yemen

Gulf and Arabian Peninsula

Saudi Arabia

Yemen

Defense and Security

Economics

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

US Policy in the Middle East

Turkey

Turkey’s strategic tangle

April 17, 2025

Defense and Security

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Terrorism

US Policy in the Middle East

Israel

Jordan

Lebanon

Palestine

Expert Views: US diplomacy and the Israel-Hamas war

October 25, 2023

Economics

Energy

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Terrorism

US Policy in the Middle East

Libya

Can the Latest US Plan Bridge Libya’s Divide?

June 4, 2026

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Defense Rapid Reaction: US and Israel strike Iran

February 28, 2026

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Defense Rapid Reaction: US and Israel strike Iran

February 28, 2026

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Iran

Iraq

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Deterring by detection: A cheap, successful way to deter Iran

December 13, 2022

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

America’s New Defense Strategy — and What It Means for Iran

February 5, 2026

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Defense Rapid Reaction: Israel expands its war aims to neutralize Hezbollah

September 24, 2024

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Help Syria move forward — Repeal the Caesar Act sanctions

November 10, 2025

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Rebuilding the U.S.-Egyptian Strategic Relationship

April 16, 2015

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Israel-Palestine

Palestine

Israel/Palestine: What the Iran War Broke and What May Yet Be Salvaged

September 28, 2026

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Jordan

Syria

Governing the day after in Syria

December 19, 2024

Regional International Politics

Terrorism

US Policy in the Middle East

Afghanistan

Pakistan

The Case for a Middle Course in Afghanistan

September 10, 2026

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Regional International Politics

Terrorism

Iran

Yemen

Yemen: The Houthis’ Role in the Next Evolution of the Axis of Resistance

September 28, 2026

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Syria

Russia rethinks the status quo in southern Syria

August 13, 2021

Regional International Politics

Algeria

Egypt

Libya

Morocco

Tunisia

Turkey

The Other MoU: Launching a Europe-Gulf Resilience Initiative After the US-Iran Deal

June 29, 2026

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Syria

Preserving evidence and securing justice for Assad’s crimes

December 20, 2024

Economics

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Gulf and Arabian Peninsula

Levant

North Africa

The Mecca Joint Défense Agreement: A New Geometry of Middle Eastern Power?

September 30, 2026

US Policy in the Middle East

Bahrain

Egypt

Iraq

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Syria

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Gulf: The War Has Shaken Relations With Washington

September 28, 2026

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Defense Rapid Reaction: US and Israel strike Iran

February 28, 2026

Defense and Security

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Terrorism

US Policy in the Middle East

Bahrain

Iran

Iraq

Kuwait

Oman

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Yemen

Great Powers in the Middle East

US Policy in the Middle East

Bahrain

Iran

Iraq

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The Mecca Alliance Meets the Red Sea – Saudi Arabia’s New Defense Pact Faces Its First Major Test

September 29, 2026

Defense and Security

Regional International Politics

US Policy in the Middle East

Afghanistan

Iraq

US Regional Defense Policy: Strategic Prioritization and the Promotion of Collective Defense

September 28, 2026

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Economics

Energy

Algeria

Egypt

Iran

Iraq

Israel

Kuwait

Libya

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Gulf Energy Markets: The Region’s Edge Will Survive — At a Price

September 28, 2026

Defense and Security

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Great Powers in the Middle East

Israel-Palestine

Regional International Politics

Terrorism

Afghanistan

Iraq

Kuwait

Lebanon

Pakistan

Syria

What the Gulf (and America) Can Learn from Ukraine

July 13, 2026

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Defense Rapid Reaction: US and Israel strike Iran

February 28, 2026

Climate

Energy

Bahrain

Egypt

Israel

Jordan

Kuwait

Lebanon

Oman

Palestine

Saudi Arabia

Syria

Turkey

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Weekly Briefing: A cease-fire for Thanksgiving?

November 26, 2024

Israel

Weekly Briefing: Syria reignites

December 3, 2024

Great Powers in the Middle East

Nuclear Proliferation

US Policy in the Middle East

Afghanistan

Iran

Jordan

Syria

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The Battle for Hormuz Is Not the War

October 6, 2026

Climate

Defense and Security

Democracy and Human Rights

Energy

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Great Powers in the Middle East

Terrorism

Algeria

Morocco

Tunisia

MINURSO’s Future: What the Security Council’s Choice May Reveal

October 14, 2026

Defense and Security

Economics

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Regional International Politics

Terrorism

US Policy in the Middle East

Algeria

Bahrain

Egypt

Iraq

Syria

Turkey

The Americans Are Gone. Will Iraq’s Militias Disarm?

October 8, 2026

Cybersecurity

Defense and Security

US Policy in the Middle East

Israel

A Post-War Model for Verifying Iran’s Missile Arsenal

June 26, 2026

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Terrorism

US Policy in the Middle East

Gulf and Arabian Peninsula

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Former CIA operative: regime change in Iran is much harder than the US thinks

April 6, 2026

Energy

Great Powers in the Middle East

Regional International Politics

US Policy in the Middle East

Kuwait

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The New Old Middle East

August 4, 2026

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

US Policy in the Middle East

Algeria

Bahrain

Egypt

Iran

Iraq

Jordan

Kuwait

Libya

Morocco

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Sudan

Tunisia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Yemen

Nuclear Proliferation

Regional International Politics

Bahrain

Iran

Israel

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Weekly Briefing: Iran’s growing burden of confronting Israel

October 15, 2024

Great Powers in the Middle East

Regional International Politics

US Policy in the Middle East

Lebanon

How Lebanon can be Trump’s first success in a troubled region

October 14, 2026

Great Powers in the Middle East

US Policy in the Middle East

Iran

Iran’s Strategic Thinking: Lessons Learned and What Comes Next

September 28, 2026

Terrorism

Syria

Building Syria’s new army: Future plans and the challenges ahead

June 12, 2025

Democracy and Human Rights

Egypt

Sudan

What’s behind Sudan’s humanitarian crisis?

November 14, 2025

Defense and Security

Democracy and Human Rights

Energy

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Great Powers in the Middle East

Nuclear Proliferation

Terrorism

Iran

Turkey

NATO: Time for a Europe-US Transatlantic Security Bargain

September 28, 2026

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Israel-Palestine

Regional International Politics

US Policy in the Middle East

Bahrain

Egypt

Iran

Iraq

Israel

Jordan

Kuwait

Lebanon

Oman

Palestine

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Syria

Turkey

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Yemen

Kim Ghattas on a Murder That Explains the Middle East

October 14, 2026

Jordan

Jordan’s Economy Weathers Iran War’s Shocks and Finds New Opportunities

October 7, 2026

Economics

Bahrain

Iran

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Qatar’s LNG expansion plans and the issue of market oversupply

May 21, 2024

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Israel-Palestine

Regional International Politics

US Policy in the Middle East

Egypt

Israel

Jordan

Palestine

Israel’s E-1 Settlement Tender

October 8, 2026

Defense and Security

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Israel-Palestine

Nuclear Proliferation

Regional International Politics

Terrorism

US Policy in the Middle East

Algeria

Bahrain

Egypt

Iran

Iraq

Kuwait

Libya

Morocco

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Sudan

Tunisia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Yemen

Reflections on a Diplomatic Career in the Middle East: A Conversation With Ambassador Yael Lempert

September 3, 2026

Gulf and Arabian Peninsula

Saudi Arabia

Yemen

Defense and Security

Terrorism

US Policy in the Middle East

Afghanistan

Iran

Iraq

Israel

Jordan

Lebanon

Palestine

Syria

Turkey

Syria: Opportunity Amid Regional Adversity

September 28, 2026

Climate

Defense and Security

Energy

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Great Powers in the Middle East

Egypt

Israel

Palestine

Sudan

Egypt: How the Iran War Has Affected Egypt’s Calculations

September 28, 2026

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Iran

Iraq

Economics

Regional International Politics

Terrorism

Syria

Syria’s economic freefall continues despite Arab League return

August 16, 2023

Regional International Politics

US Policy in the Middle East

Jordan

Lebanon

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Syria

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The struggle for the future of Lebanon

February 24, 2025

Terrorism

Iraq

Syria

Rebalancing Russia’s Mediterranean strategy: From showing the flag to retreating to the gray zone

February 4, 2025

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Deterring by detection: A cheap, successful way to deter Iran

December 13, 2022

US Policy in the Middle East

Iran

Washington’s Four Wrong Assumptions About the Iran War

August 13, 2026

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

America’s New Defense Strategy — and What It Means for Iran

February 5, 2026

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Defense Rapid Reaction: Israel expands its war aims to neutralize Hezbollah

September 24, 2024

Defense and Security

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Palestine

Defense and Security

Democracy and Human Rights

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Great Powers in the Middle East

Lebanon

Syria

Lebanon: Where the Axis of Resistance Breaks First

September 28, 2026

Defense and Security

Economics

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

US Policy in the Middle East

Turkey

Turkey’s strategic tangle

April 17, 2025

Iraq: Between Iran and a Hard Place

September 28, 2026

Economics

Energy

Nuclear Proliferation

Iran

Defense and Security

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Terrorism

US Policy in the Middle East

Israel

Jordan

Lebanon

Palestine

Expert Views: US diplomacy and the Israel-Hamas war

October 25, 2023

Great Powers in the Middle East

Israel-Palestine

Regional International Politics

US Policy in the Middle East

Israel

Israel: Strategic Divergence and Weakened Deterrence

September 28, 2026

Energy

Nuclear Proliferation

Bahrain

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Impact of the Russo-Ukrainian war on energy flows from the Arab Gulf states

February 11, 2025

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Cybersecurity

Emerging Technologies

Space

Bahrain

Kuwait

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Gulf AI: The War as a Catalyst for Deepening Regional-US Strategic Tech Cooperation

September 28, 2026

Economics

Energy

Algeria

Egypt

Israel

Libya

Morocco

Turkey

Turkey Competes with Israel and India to be a Major MENA Weapons Supplier

March 21, 2025

Democracy and Human Rights

Great Powers in the Middle East

Iraq

Syria

Turkey

Turkey: Ankara’s Nuclear Ambitions in the Post-Iran War Environment

September 28, 2026

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Bahrain

Iraq

Jordan

Lebanon

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Tunisia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Weekly Briefing: Remembrance of Mahsa Jina Amini and calls for change remain strong, as Pezeshkian’s cabinet disappoints

September 17, 2024

Defense and Security

Democracy and Human Rights

Economics

Energy

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Great Powers in the Middle East

Nuclear Proliferation

Terrorism

US Policy in the Middle East

Iran

Iranian Domestic Politics: Who Is Really in Charge in Tehran Now?

September 28, 2026

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Help Syria move forward — Repeal the Caesar Act sanctions

November 10, 2025

Democracy and Human Rights

Terrorism

Afghanistan

Pakistan

The Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict: A strategic concern for the US

January 22, 2026

Economics

Energy

Governance, Reform, and State Capacity

Terrorism

US Policy in the Middle East

Libya

Can the Latest US Plan Bridge Libya’s Divide?

June 4, 2026

Economics

Energy

Bahrain

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Gulf Political Economy: The Cost of Accommodating Iran

September 28, 2026

Defense and Security

Great Powers in the Middle East

Rebuilding the U.S.-Egyptian Strategic Relationship

April 16, 2015