The Strategic Cost of Palestinian Powerlessness
This report considers the lack of Palestinian political agency as a driver of regional insecurity that must be resolved before wider conflicts can be settled. The author analyses the conditions that contributed to the destruction of Palestinian political capacity, including Israeli policies, Palestinian shortcomings, and exploitation by Iran, and makes recommendations for an Arab strategic initiative.
Iran’s New Grand Design: The Next Evolution of the Axis of Resistance
Iran is transforming its Axis of Resistance into a decentralized, Yemen-centered network that leverages the Houthis to threaten both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb, extending Tehran’s coercive reach over the world’s key maritime chokepoints and reshaping the post-war balance in the Middle East and Red Sea.
US Policy After Iraq: Getting Lebanon’s Disarmament Right
Iranian Attacks Need Not Change the Gulf’s AI Ambitions
After Khamenei: The Security State He Built, and the Son Who Inherits It
Our Mission
The Middle East Institute aims to enhance peace, security, and people-to-people ties between the US and the Middle East by providing actionable foreign policy recommendations, rich cultural and educational programming, and opportunities for dialogue, engagement, and exchange.
Policy Experts
MEI has a deep roster of Fellows and Distinguished Fellows with extensive experience in military, diplomatic, and policy leadership.
Research & Analysis
Read in-depth research, analysis, and commentary from MEI’s fellows and experts on the Middle East.
Arts & Culture
MEI’s Arts & Culture Center sits at the intersection of culture and policy, providing a platform for a deeper understanding of the Middle East.
Read the Middle East Journal
The oldest peer-reviewed publication dedicated to the study of the modern Middle East, MEI’s flagship journal covers politics, society, and culture in the region.
MEI Art Gallery – August First Friday Open House