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    • Special Episode: Saudi Oil After the East-West Pipeline Attack
  • Podcast

    • Special Episode: Saudi Oil After the East-West Pipeline Attack

    Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline is back in operation after a drone attack from Iraq, blamed on Iran-backed militias, shut it down for nearly two weeks. The pipeline is the kingdom’s main way to export oil while the Strait of Hormuz is closed, so the shutdown dealt another blow to global energy markets. How vulnerable is this route, and what does that mean for the kingdom and the world economy? This episode of Middle East Focus features a recent MEI Virtual Briefing in which Director of Communications Zeina Al-Shaib is joined by MEI Senior Fellow Colby Connelly and MEI Affiliate Yesar Al-Maleki. They examine the new geopolitical risks facing the oil market, what further losses of global supply could mean for Saudi Arabia and the world economy, and which buffers outside the Persian Gulf could ease the pressure.

    October 1, 2026

    Alistair Taylor, Matthew Czekaj

    The Middle East Beyond the Iran War
  • Report

    • The Middle East Beyond the Iran War

    This article is part of a collection of short essays written by the Fellows of the Middle East Institute to explore aspects of the ongoing war with Iran. The intent of the collection is to help readers see new and unexpected elements of the dynamics and impact of the ongoing hostilities and to think harder, deeper, and broader about the implications of the conflict.

    September 28, 2026

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

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

    The outbreak of the war with Iran demonstrated the strategic value of maritime chokepoints in the Islamic Republic’s confrontation with the United States. But as Tehran’s strategy of using the Strait of Hormuz to pressure Washington seems to be backfiring, Iran is working with the Houthis to strengthen its leverage over another strategic chokepoint: the Bab el-Mandeb. The recent escalation in Yemen should be viewed within this context.

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

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

    Hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj are joined by MEI Distinguished Military Fellow Mick Mulroy to discuss the Trump administration’s new National Defense Strategy (NDS) and its implications for the Middle East. While serving as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for the Middle East from 2017 to 2019, Mulroy helped prepare the 2018 NDS, giving him an insider perspective on US defense planning. Together, Taylor, Czekaj, and Mulroy unpack what the new strategy means for US priorities globally and for the Middle East in particular, including how it could be reflected in a potentially looming military strike on Iran.

    February 5, 2026

    Alistair Taylor, Matthew Czekaj

    With the US and Iran on a knife-edge, can Oman once again step in to mediate?
    Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Image
  • Analysis

    • With the US and Iran on a knife-edge, can Oman once again step in to mediate?

    The decision by Washington and Tehran to shift their long-anticipated meeting, set for February 6, from Istanbul to Muscat is not merely a logistical detail. It is the latest reminder that when US-Iran diplomacy is on the verge of breaking down completely, Oman is the regional player the Iranian regime trusts the most to step in and mediate.

    Normalization Is Slipping Away
    Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Image
  • Commentary

    • Normalization Is Slipping Away

    Saudi-Israel normalization is drifting away — not collapsing outright but steadily receding into, at best, a long in-between.
    The Islamic Republic’s War on the Iranian People
  • Podcast

    • The Islamic Republic’s War on the Iranian People

    Against the backdrop of the Iranian government’s brutal crackdown on protestors, Brian is joined by Emad Shargi, an Iranian-American businessman who was unjustly detained by the regime in 2018 until his release in 2023. Shargi recounts his firsthand experience in the notorious Evin Prison and offers rare insights into the mentality and tactics of the Islamic Republic. He and Brian also discuss his recommendations for US engagement in Iran and his hopes for the country’s future.
    Bolstering US, Japan, and Gulf Cooperation in the High Tech Field
  • Event

    • Bolstering US, Japan, and Gulf Cooperation in the High Tech Field

    In recent years, both Washington and the Middle East have been looking eastward. The United States has been executing its own “pivot to Asia,” seeking to strengthen alliances and manage competition in the Indo-Pacific, while many Middle Eastern states are simultaneously deepening their economic and strategic ties with Asian partners. This dual pivot is creating new intersections for US–Japan cooperation. The discussion featured Ambassador Barbara Leaf, Mohammed Soliman and Amane Kobayashi, and was moderated by Ken Pollack. Drawing on their experience, the speakers examined how Japanese, American, and Gulf public and private initiatives can be integrated to create more dynamic, cutting-edge economies, symbiotic diplomatic relationships, and stronger mutual security ties.

    January 30, 2026, 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM

    Middle East Institute 1763 N St NW Washington, District of Columbia 20036

    The Transatlantic Alliance Will Survive Just Fine
  • Commentary

    • The Transatlantic Alliance Will Survive Just Fine

    Media and politicians on both sides of the Atlantic are hyping the idea that President Trump’s attempt to gain sovereign control of Greenland has caused unprecedented and irreparable damage to the over 75 year-old Transatlantic Alliance.  This “analysis” stems from multiple sources.  On both sides of the ocean, there are those who pounce on any deviation from the norm by Trump as evidence the world as we know it is ending. And in Europe, there is the human but unattractive reaction of weak, dependent states against their one powerful ally when it rejects Europe’s preferred script. Much of the US media criticism is summarized by the concept that our other NATO allies can never again “trust” the US.

    US Authorizes Chips for the UAE, Saudi Arabia
  • Policy Memo

    • US Authorizes Chips for the UAE, Saudi Arabia

    The US Commerce Department announced on November 19, 2025, that it had authorized the export of advanced American semiconductor chips to HUMAIN of Saudi Arabia and G42 of the United Arab Emirates. The approval enables both companies to purchase up to 35,000 Blackwell chips (GB300s). This sale is a core component of a broader “Compute Diplomacy” approach under the second administration of President Donald J. Trump, which was solidified following his May 2025 visit to the Gulf, where a series of multibillion-dollar artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure agreements were signed.

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