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
President Donald Trump and Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei are pictured on a smartphone.
Middle East Forum Online
Khamenei is Dead: The 2026 Iran War Could Become a Giant Power Vacuum Crisis
Khamenei’s Death Creates a Power Vacuum in Iran: Constitutional Succession May Stall, the IRGC Could Seize Control, and Opposition Leaders May Need Protection to Govern
February 28, 2026
 · 
Michael Rubin
The U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., in December 2025.
Middle East Forum Observer
Does Trump Need a Declaration of War or Authorization for the Use of Military Force?
The Broad Umbrella Post–9/11 War on Terror AUMF for Operations in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Beyond, Remains Operative
February 28, 2026
 · 
Danielle Pletka
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Middle East Forum Online
Khamenei Is Dead. The Campaign Must Continue Root and Stem
The Urge to Declare Victory, Halt Military Operations, and Wait for the Regime to Collapse Organically Will Grow Exponentially in the Coming Hours
February 28, 2026
 · 
Gregg Roman
Middle East Forum Online
The Sealed Room and The Open Sky
A Father, A War, and The Moment Prediction Became Reality
February 28, 2026
 · 
Gregg Roman
A missile launches into a cloudy sky, leaving a fiery trail.
Middle East Forum Observer
Be Careful About Blaming the United States or Israel for Killing Iranian Schoolgirls
The Job of a Journalist Is Not to Report the Rumor, but to Get to the Truth
February 28, 2026
 · 
Michael Rubin
An F-35C Lightning II, attached to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314, prepares to launch from the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in the Arabian Sea, Feb. 15, 2026. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Daniel Kimmelman)
Reports
Iran Strike Scenarios: Retaliation, Transition, and the Path Forward
An Extended Analysis
February 28, 2026
 · 
Gregg Roman
A Yemeni soldier in the fight against Houthi rebels.
Middle East Forum Observer
The Houthis Can Survive Iranian Regime Change
Proxy Militias Whose Creation Predates the Islamic Republic Will Need a Concerted Effort to Combat
February 28, 2026
 · 
Michael Rubin
A settlement located near the city of Merivan in Iran's Kurdistan Province at the foot of the Zagros Mountains.
Middle East Forum Observer
This May Be the Kurds’ and Baluch’s Only Chance for Generations in Iran
Those Who Have Endured the Regime’s Oppressive Policies Must Secure Recognition and the Right to Self-Determination
February 28, 2026
 · 
Loqman Radpey
America must not blink. Tehran already staggers. Strike its strategic nerve center. Support the forces that will rise in its absence. B-2 stealth bombers like the one above could play a key role in eliminating Iran's nuclear program.
Middle East Forum Online
Trump Wants to Bomb His Way to Regime Change in Iran. History Says That Might Not Be Possible
It Is Clear That the Islamic Republic’s Strategy Will Simply Be to Survive
February 28, 2026
 · 
Michael Rubin
With Trump claiming military action was necessary to counter an imminent threat, the question is why now? The answer may not lie in Washington or Jerusalem but rather in Moscow and Beijing.
Middle East Forum Online
China’s Aircraft Carrier Killer Missiles Might Have ‘Fast-Forwarded’ the Iran War of 2026
Reports of Xi Jinping Authorizing the Transfer of ‘Carrier-Killer’ Missiles to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Created an Untenable ‘Ticking Clock’ for the Trump Administration
February 28, 2026
 · 
Michael Rubin