Reasserting American Power in the Middle East

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An artist decorates street art for the traditional Nowruz festival in Isfahan, Iran.
Do Artists Represent an Independent Voice inside Iran?
Decades of Islamic Republic Rule Has Changed the Spirit of Iran’s Artistic Spheres
May 19, 2025
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With Red Lines Firm, Iran Plays for Time in Nuclear Negotiations
Precedent Suggests That Even If Negotiations Progress, Iran Could Freeze the Process at a Critical Juncture
May 16, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
The March 2025 massacres of Alawites by Sunni militias in Syria generated protests.
Middle East Forum Observer
Sectarian Violence Against Syria’s Alawites Has Not Stopped
The Ongoing Violence Against Alawites and Other Communities in Syria Demands Sustained Global Focus
May 15, 2025
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Sirwan Kajjo
Just as it is not possible to protect Israel and allow Hamas and Hezbollah to thrive, it is not possible to take India’s complaints about Pakistani terror seriously if Washington refuses to hold Islamabad accountable.
Middle East Forum Online
Rawalpindi Goes Hezbollah: India Must Push to Label Pakistan a Terror State
Pakistan Now Follows the Terrorist Playbook Crafted by Hamas and Hezbollah Across Decades
May 14, 2025
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Michael Rubin
Allowing Iran’s nuclearization could spark a devastating conflict with Israel, whose small size invites Iranian overconfidence. President Trump dispatched B-2 stealth bombers like the one above to the remote Indian Ocean base of Diego Garcia, presumably to threaten Iran should it continue to reject negotiations to end its nuclear program.
Middle East Forum Online
America Failed to Stop Pakistani Nukes. Will It Repeat the Error with Iran?
Pakistan’s Nuclear Drive Is America’s Original Sin
May 14, 2025
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President Donald Trump's visit to the Middle East from May 13-16, 2025, is the first major international trip of his second term.
Middle East Forum Observer
Iranians Vent Fury at Regime After Trump Highlights Saudi Success
In 46 Years Under Shi’ite Clerics, Iran Has Slid Into International Isolation and Economic Decay
May 14, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
Show your support for Israel in this year's graduation ceremonies. Be part of a silent, dignified response to the last two years of protests, demonstrations, encampments, and intimidation masquerading as righteousness and protected under the aegis of academic freedom.
Middle East Forum Online
How Academics Can Show Support for Israel at Graduation Ceremonies
May 14, 2025
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A.J. Caschetta
Israel’s security cabinet has approved a plan for a transition from the punitive operations and raids that have characterized Israel’s efforts in Gaza to date, to the taking and holding of territory.
Middle East Forum Online
Israel on the Cusp of Finishing the War That Hamas Started
The New Plan Is a Tacit Acknowledgment That Israel’s Approach Has Not Come Close to the Desired Objective of the Destruction of Hamas Rule in Gaza
May 14, 2025
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Jonathan Spyer
Muzaffarabad, in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. A Pakistani general described Kashmir as Pakistan’s "jugular vein," saying that Islamabad would "not forget it. We will not leave our Kashmiri brothers in their heroic struggle."
Middle East Forum Online
How Islamist Militant Groups in Pakistan’s Foreign Policy Affected the Kashmir Conflict
The Latest India-Pakistan Confrontation Underscores the Strategic Role of Pakistan’s Military and ISI in Exacerbating Kashmir’s Instability
May 14, 2025
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Jonathan Spyer
Middle East Forum Online
Trump Makes Deals with Syria and the Saudis
MEF Chief Editor Jim Hanson discusses Trump’s dealmaking
May 14, 2025
 · 
Jim Hanson