Tehran’s Rhetoric and Actions Point to a Regime That Sees Escalation as Leverage to Be Exploited
Some in the LGBTQ Movement Have Aligned with Political Coalitions That Excuse or Ignore Abuses Committed by Islamists
The U.S. Must Judge Terrorists by Their Actions and Ideology, Not the Veneer of Respectability with Which They Paint Themselves
Many Countries May Try to Negotiate Arrangements with Tehran, to Avoid an Open-Ended Military Effort to Secure the Waterway
There Is No Example in Modern History of the Complete Destruction of a Regime or of an Organization by the Systematic Assassination of Its Leaders
Radicals Promote Tehran’s Narrative on Britain’s Streets
A Renewed Buffer Zone Strategy Reflects Israel’s Shift Toward Physical Security Over Deterrence
Extremist Literature Advocating Violence Against Jews, Christians Remains on Shelves
Report Documents Governments’ Failure to Confront Mullahs’ ‘Soft Power’
Document First Published in 2022 Sparks Outrage in 2026
The Objective Is Not Control of the Red Sea, but to Disrupt Shipping and Create Economic Pressure That Grants the Houthis Influence
Turkey Offers Capability Without Western Lectures, Prices Below Top-Tier American or Israeli Systems, and Security Cooperation
Iran Shattered the Cultivated Myth of Omani Exceptionalism, the Diplomatic Card Tehran Played for Decades to Shield Itself from Total Gulf Isolation
As War Accelerates Around Iran, Europe Answers With Delay, Doubt, And Strategic Paralysis
Spotlight on a Deal with Iran
There have been many claims of an imminent deal between the United States and Iran recently. No deal has emerged and many versions have been floated as both sides jockey for an advantage in negotiations. The regime seems as recalcitrant as ever.
The most recent version on May 28th is purported to simply be awaiting signatures from the leaders of both countries. Is there a deal to be made that is worth doing or is the regime simply too much of an impediment to the security in the region? MEF fellows and experts weigh in on all of this.
The most recent version on May 28th is purported to simply be awaiting signatures from the leaders of both countries. Is there a deal to be made that is worth doing or is the regime simply too much of an impediment to the security in the region? MEF fellows and experts weigh in on all of this.
As unrest spreads across Iran, the regime and the opposition both face narrowing choices.
Military Officials May Believe the Civilian Governing Structure Is Too Fragmented and Indecisive to Manage the Country
Why the Newly Revealed American-Israeli Plan Never Stood a Chance
Once Trump Has a Credible Partner, He Should Dictate the Terms
Iran’s Competing Power Centers Are Shaping Negotiations, Escalation Risks, and Regional Strategic Decisions
Spotlight on the Gulf States
The combined US and Israeli war against Iran also drew in a number of the Gulf States. Iran’s decision to attack them immediately after Operation Epic Fury began was meant to split them away. In perhaps the most fatal mistake for its survival, it ended up bringing them closer and creating a counter-Iran alliance.
The Abraham Accords are back under discussion and an idea of what type of power structure will replace Iran and its proxies has begin to emerge. That must survive the usual rivalries between the Gulf States themselves, but it seems to be a positive development.
The Abraham Accords are back under discussion and an idea of what type of power structure will replace Iran and its proxies has begin to emerge. That must survive the usual rivalries between the Gulf States themselves, but it seems to be a positive development.
Iran’s Broader Objective Appears to Be the Gradual Decoupling of Arab Oil Producers of the Persian Gulf from the U.S. Security Umbrella
A Consequential Fault Line in the Middle East Runs Not Just Between Riyadh and Tehran but Between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi
How a Coordinated International Campaign Is Targeting the United Arab Emirates
The Pipeline Would Cost Billions of Dollars, Take Years to Build, and Would Cross Multiple Jurisdictions, Not All of Them Reliable
The Decision Sends a Signal That National Priorities Now Outweigh Collective Discipline
Recovery Will Not Be Simply a Return to the Old Model, Now That Gulf States Are Diversifying Their Energy and Economies
Middle East Quarterly - Summer 2026
Founded in 1994 by Daniel Pipes, MEQ is the Middle East Forum’s journal intended for both scholars and the educated public. Policymakers, opinion-makers, academics, and journalists write for and read the Quarterly, which is known for exclusive interviews, in-depth historical articles, and book reviews on subjects ranging from archaeology to politics and on countries from Morocco to Iran.
Summer 2026 Volume 33: Number 3
Summer 2026 Volume 33: Number 3
Middle East Forum Observer
Founded in 2024, the Observer provides rapid analysis on leading Middle East developments, from Marrakech to Mashhad and the Bab el-Mandeb to the Black Sea.
Launched in 2006, Islamist Watch is a project of the Middle East Forum. We work to combat the ideas and institutions of lawful Islamism in the United States and throughout the West. Arguing that “radical Islam is the problem, moderate Islam is the solution,” we seek to expose the Islamist organizations that currently dominate the debate, while identifying and promoting the work of moderate Muslims.
CAMPUS WATCH, a project of the Middle East Forum, reviews and critiques Middle East studies in North America with an aim to improving them. The project mainly addresses five problems: analytical failures, the mixing of politics with scholarship, intolerance of alternative views, apologetics, and the abuse of power over students. Campus Watch fully respects the freedom of speech of those it debates while insisting on its own freedom to comment on their words and deeds.
Antisemitism
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A Colombian Immigrant’s Journey Through Cultural Identity, Zionism, and the Backlash Post-October 7 -
Events unfolding in Denver serve as a cautionary tale, illustrating a movement rooted not in a sincere quest for justice, but in a troubling mix of ignorance and radicalism. -
Attempts to Portray the Fight Against Campus Antisemitism as a Form of Political Subterfuge Are Profoundly Dangerous -
As long as elites blame Jews for problems in the societies they lead, they will remain unable to confront the source of the threats to their well-being.
