Since Israel’s 12-day war against Iran, Tehran and its network of regional proxies and non-state allies, the so-called Axis of Resistance, have entered a phase of strategic dormancy — an outward calm concealing rearmament, financial adaptation, and ideological renewal.

Like many aspects of the Trump administration’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza unveiled at the end of September, the specific mission of the International Stabilization Force (ISF) was left intentionally vague and has remained so despite some subsequent clarification. Major questions remain unanswered as the year comes to a close, even as the ISF is expected to play a key role in in training and supporting newly formed Palestinian police forces, securing border areas, and enabling the free flow of aid and other goods into the devastated coastal strip.

Recommended readings selected by MEI’s book review editor from reviews published in this year’s issues of The Middle East Journal. Subscribe to MEJ to read full reviews of these and other new publications exploring the history, culture, and contemporary issues shaping the modern Middle East and North Africa region.

In the final episode of 2025, MEI Senior Fellow Paul Salem joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to unpack the major developments that shaped the Middle East over the past year and to look ahead to 2026. Salem reviews the key events that redefined the regional order, including President Donald Trump’s return to office, the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, and the ongoing negotiations over Gaza. He assesses how the region has changed over the past year and what those shifts could mean moving forward.

US President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver a prime time address to the nation this evening at a moment when public support for his second term has hit new lows. Speculation about the focus of the president’s speech ranges from efforts to shore up views about his poor handling of the economy at home to perhaps a major announcement on Venezuela, where Trump imposed a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers. But no matter the topic Trump chooses to frame the national conversation as America heads into the holiday season, it is worth taking a step back and reflecting on the bigger story of what has occurred in the United States in 2025 and how these dynamics affect America’s relations with the rest of the world, including the Middle East.

The Trump administration has released its new National Security Strategy—and analysts say it signals a decisive break from America’s role as the leader of the free world.

MEI experts weigh in on where the Middle East region is headed in the coming year.

The artificial intelligence era demands a fundamental rethinking of strategic infrastructure and international partnerships. Just as oil shaped the geopolitical landscape of the 20th century, compute infrastructure will define power relationships in the 21st. The six GCC member states — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates — are all, to various degrees, at an inflection point, positioned to leverage historical advantages in energy while building new capabilities in the technologies that will shape the future.