About
The Middle East Forum Observer

The Middle East Forum Observer was founded in 2024 and provides rapid analysis on leading Middle East developments, from Marrakech to Mashhad and the Bab el-Mandeb to the Black Sea.

More than just an outlet for opinion and opeds, the Observer explores topics in greater depth than American newspapers or opinion essays, often drawing upon primary language research or technical expertise on topics like shipping, aircraft leasing, or counter-terrorism finance. Policymakers and intelligence analysts not only in the United States and Europe, but also across the Middle East regularly read Observer articles. Newspapers and policy journals from Israel to Iran excerpt and debate the Observer’s takes.

As with the Middle East Quarterly, Middle East Forum Observer is open access. All content is available without charge. The Middle East Forum Observer allows reposts of its articles as an integral whole with a citation that includes author, date, title, publication and original URL.

More from MEF
Sunset on the Caspian Sea coast in Baku, Azerbaijan, in May 2024.
Middle East Forum Observer
Vance Should Bypass Azerbaijan After Its ‘Kangaroo Court’ Sentencings of Armenians
At Stake Is Trump’s Desire to Cement Peace in the South Caucasus, and the Commitment They Made to Protect Christian Communities
February 8, 2026
 · 
Michael Rubin
Members of Iran's military in a Qods Day march in Tehran in 2024.
Middle East Forum Observer
Iranians Must Decide What They Will Do with Informers and Records
As Post-Revolutionary Iran Grapples with Accountability for the Past, It Can Embrace Numerous Models
February 7, 2026
 · 
Michael Rubin
President Donald Trump is pictured in Davos, Switzerland, on January 22, 2026.
Middle East Forum Observer
Iranian Media Weigh Talks, Lash Out at New U.S. Measures
Trump Imposed Tariffs on Countries That Purchase Iranian Goods or Services, Citing National Security and Economic Interests
February 7, 2026
 · 
Mardo Soghom
Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomes Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to the BRICS summit in October 2024.
Middle East Forum Observer
China’s Foreign Investment Jumps as Beijing Bypasses Iran and Russia
Among Middle Eastern Countries, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq Topped the List of Chinese ‘Belt and Road’ Project Destinations
February 7, 2026
 · 
Dalga Khatinoglu
Prosecutors say the scheme ran from at least June 2014 through December 2022 and targeted NATO-funded construction projects linked to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Defense Logistics Agency, two key U.S. military bodies responsible for infrastructure and logistical support worldwide.
Middle East Forum Online
U.S. Indicts Turkish Contractor over NATO Military Construction Contracts
The Sweeping Indictment Alleges That a Turkish Construction Contractor and a Senior NATO Official Operated a Covert Bribery and Fraud Scheme for Nearly a Decade
February 6, 2026
 · 
Abdullah Bozkurt
President Donald Trump at the White House in December 2025.
Middle East Forum Online
Trump Must Help Iranians Bring Down the Islamic Regime
With Diplomacy on the Verge of Faltering, Preparations for an American Military Strike Are Proceeding Apace
February 6, 2026
 · 
Jonathan Spyer
Press Releases
Middle East Forum to Host Interparliamentary Briefing on Strengthening the Eastern Mediterranean Alliance
Bipartisan Members of Congress Join Israeli Knesset Members for Virtual Strategy Session on the 3+1 Framework
February 6, 2026
Protesters burn pictures of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Milan, Italy, in sympathy with Iranian protesters, January 17, 2026.
Middle East Forum Observer
Should a Referendum Determine Iran’s Future?
The People of Iran Want to Choose Their Government, and They Deserve to Be Able to Do So
February 6, 2026
 · 
Jim Hanson
Oil may not automatically create prosperity for Somalia.
Middle East Forum Observer
Turkey’s Risky Bet on Somalia and the Horn’s Strategic Realignment
By Embedding Itself in Somalia’s Hydrocarbons Sector and Security Architecture, Turkey Positions Itself as a Gatekeeper
February 6, 2026
 · 
Siyad Madey
Middle East Forum Online
The Gulf’s Cold War: How Saudi-UAE Rivalry Is Tearing the Region Apart
The Breakdown of Gulf Unity Is Reshaping the Middle East’s Balance of Power
February 6, 2026
 · 
Amine Ayoub