About Stimson
Programs

Middle East Program

Inform policy discussions on the Middle East by leveraging regional expertise, convening dialogues, and producing rigorous, non-partisan analysis and scholarship.

The Stimson Center’s Middle East Program seeks to inform policy discussions on the Middle East by leveraging regional expertise, convening dialogues, and producing rigorous, non-partisan analysis and scholarship. The program assesses regional geopolitical developments with a focus on conflict management, regional security, and post-conflict peacebuilding. Through sustained engagement with policymakers, scholars, and subject-matter experts, the program aims to advance practical policy thinking rooted in on-the-ground realities.

A core pillar of the program is the convening of high-level Track 1.5 and Track 2.0 regional dialogues that bring together policymakers, academics, and experts to conduct joint analysis, discuss de-escalation processes, and advance regional cooperation. The program also organizes issue-area roundtables to develop impactful policy recommendations informed by global lessons learned and regional experience. The program’s analysis and policy outputs are directly informed by the insights generated through these dialogues and roundtables.

Program Team

Kawa Hassan
Nonresident Fellow
Barbara Slavin
Distinguished Fellow
Randa Slim
Distinguished Fellow and Program Lead

Projects

The Middle East Brief
Providing timely analysis of regional dynamics informed by ongoing dialogues and research.
Deconflicting the Middle East
Dialogue processes bringing together policymakers, academics, and experts from across the Middle East and the United States.
The Middle East Roundtable Exchange
Convening regional and thematic experts to examine and address critical issues afflicting the Middle East today.
Middle East Perspectives
A forum for discussion of the most pressing issues facing the Middle East and U.S. policymakers.

Research

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Events

  • Past
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Global Fallout: The Iran War, From Hormuz to the Indo-Pacific 
  • March 31, 2026
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Enduring Hostility: A Book Talk on Why the U.S. and Iran Remain Adversaries
  • December 4, 2025
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Iran-Israel War: Update on the Israeli Campaign, Iranian Nuclear Program and the Civilian Toll
  • June 20, 2025
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“Iran’s Rise and Rivalry with the US in the Middle East” – A Book Talk with Professor Mohsen Milani
  • April 3, 2025
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Post U.S. Election: Compromise or Confrontation with Iran?
  • November 15, 2024
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Voices for Peace and Human Rights in Israel/Palestine
  • September 9, 2024
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The Iran Challenge: A Conversation with Former CENTCOM Commander Gen. Kenneth ‘Frank’ McKenzie Jr.
  • June 14, 2024
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UNRWA’s Role in Gaza and the Middle East
  • May 20, 2024
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The Israel-Hamas War: Impacts and Prospects, Six Months On
  • March 27, 2024
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How Women’s Rights Compare Across the Middle East
  • January 18, 2024
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The Implications of the Gaza War
  • November 29, 2023
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Re-Thinking the Periphery: European Policy Towards Northern Africa
  • September 9, 2023
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Iran One Year After the Death of Mahsa Amini
  • September 11, 2023
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40 Years of Misguided US Military Intervention in the Middle East
  • July 19, 2023
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Israel at a Crossroads on its 75th Anniversary
  • May 4, 2023
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Nuclear Proliferation in the Middle East Beyond Iran
  • March 14, 2023
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Iraq, Beyond the election- Internal and External Implications
  • November 25, 2021
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Concluding Conference Iraq and its Neighbours
  • July 14, 2021
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The Iranian Presidential Election: A Transatlantic Perspective
  • June 9, 2021
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The Brussels MENA Briefing: The Gulf Cooperation Council at 40: Opportunities and Challenges for the EU
  • June 16, 2021
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Brussels MENA Briefing: Egypt in the Eastern Mediterranean
  • April 14, 2021
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Lebanon at a Crossroads: Looming State Collapse and Prospects for External Engagement
  • March 17, 2021
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Brussels MENA Briefing: The Economic Dimensions of the Conflict in Yemen
  • October 22, 2020
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Brussels MENA Briefing: The Biden Administration’s Middle East Policy and Transatlantic Relations
  • November 17, 2020
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Brussels MENA Briefing: Jordanian Foreign Policy in Light of Regional Geopolitical Shifts
  • September 8, 2020
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Brussels MENA Briefing: How to Rescue Sudan’s Transition Process
  • July 7, 2020
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New Iraqi Government in Place: Challenges and Opportunities for Iraq in its Neighborhood
  • June 9, 2020
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The Status Quo of the Libya Conflict: Is the Berlin Process Obsolete?
  • May 5, 2020
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Post-Sultan Qaboos Oman: Transition Opportunities and Challenges
  • April 8, 2020
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Iran After Parliamentary Elections
  • March 3, 2021
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Crisis in Yemen: Accountability and Reparations
  • June 26, 2018
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The Difficult Road Ahead: Stabilizing Iraq and the Gulf Region
  • April 19, 2017
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Politicizing Islam: Exploring Means and Objectives
  • November 3, 2016
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Balancing a New Relationship with Iran: Security and Insecurity in the Wake of the Nuclear Deal
  • November 10, 2016
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Chaos or Coherence? Foreign Policy Challenges for the Next President
  • March 29, 2016
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Constructions Of Terrorism: Confronting The Challenges To Global Security Created By Daesh/Islamic State
  • April 27, 2016
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Humanitarian Crises in the Middle East and Africa: Examining Causes, Consequences and Policy Choices
  • November 17, 2015
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Libya’s Missing Weapons: Understanding Global Efforts to Control Conventional Arms
  • February 2, 2012
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Libya’s Missing Weapons: Understanding Global Efforts to Control Conventional Arms
  • February 2, 2012
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Examining Regional Implications of the Iran Deal
  • July 29, 2015
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Threat of ISIS in Iraq: Views from the Ground
  • July 30, 2015
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Chairman’s Forum With Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba
  • June 9, 2015
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A Way Forward for a Viable Syria: An Insider Perspective from the Private Sector and Civil Society
  • May 21, 2015
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Salafists And Sectarianism: Twitter And Communal Conflict In The Middle East
  • March 31, 2015
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Roundtable Discussion on Iran’s Influence in Afghanistan
  • July 28, 2014
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Roundtable Discussion on Conflict Resolution, Resource Management and U.S. Engagement
  • March 17, 2011
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Panel Discussion: Arab Countries in Transition
  • April 9, 2012
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Roundtable Discussion: Economic Consequences of the Arab Spring
  • April 20, 2012
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Is there a Widening Sunni-Shia Schism?
  • February 22, 2013
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Syria: From Isolation to Acceptance?
  • April 23, 2008
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Yemen: Recent Developments and Internal Security
  • December 9, 2009
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Iran, the Deal and the Gulf
  • February 10, 2014
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Growing Opposition to President Hassan Rouhani: Is the Honeymoon Ending?
  • March 4, 2014
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A Roundtable Discussion on Changing Dynamics in the Gulf: GCC, Iran, US
  • July 2, 2014
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Does a Demographic Transition Promote a Democratic Transition?
  • January 25, 2007
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Revisiting Marshall: Private Sector Development in the Middle East
  • March 3, 2015
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The Escalating Shi’a-Sunni Conflict: Assessing Arab Public Attitudes
  • February 18, 2015
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The Escalating Shi’a-Sunni Conflict: Assessing The Role Of ISIS
  • December 15, 2014
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The Escalating Shi’a-Sunni Conflict: Assessing The Role Of State Actors
  • November 3, 2014
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Iran and the Arab World After the Nuclear Deadline: Possible Scenarios
  • October 23, 2014
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The Escalating Shi’a-Sunni Conflict: Is It About Religion Or Politics?
  • September 16, 2014
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Lessons Learned for Stabilization in Syria
  • June 11, 2014
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Ambassador Deborah Jones, U.S. Ambassador to Libya at Chairman’s Forum
  • May 21, 2014
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The Global Food Crisis in the Middle East
  • July 18, 2013
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Analyzing the 2013 Iranian Presidential Election
  • June 17, 2013
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Syria Beyond Assad: Building A New Syria From The Grassroots
  • March 7, 2013
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Prospects for Greater Economic Integration in the Maghreb
  • November 26, 2012
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Understanding Iranian Public Opinion
  • October 17, 2012
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Roundtable Discussion: The Evolving Conflict in Syria and Lessons Learned
  • October 11, 2012
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Roundtable Discussion: Religious Dimensions of the Arab Springs
  • October 1, 2012
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Roundtable Discussion: Tunisia’s Current Political Trends and the Future of US-Tunisian Relations
  • September 27, 2012
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Ellen Laipson Participates In Discussion At World Affairs Council’s Annual Conference
  • March 30, 2012
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Publication Launch: Two New Publications Examining Iran
  • March 15, 2012
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‘Arab Stabilization Plan’ with Mr. Majid H. Jafar
  • March 14, 2012
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Panel Discussion – No End In Sight: Syria After the UN Vote
  • February 16, 2012
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An Economic Perspective on the Arab Spring One Year Later, With Undersecretary of State Hormats
  • January 23, 2012
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Seismic Shift: Understanding Change in the Middle East
  • May 25, 2011
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Resilient Authoritarianism and the Future of Democracy Promotion in the Middle East
  • March 22, 2011
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Roundtable Discussion on Tunisia, Democracy, Stability, and Political Demography
  • February 10, 2011
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Diplomacy and Demining: A Panel Discussion about Demining in Israel: Featuring Daniel Yuval
  • December 1, 2010
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The Future of US-Iraq Relations
  • May 27, 2010
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The Future of US-Iraq Relations
  • May 17, 2010
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Iran’s Stakes In The New Iraq: Dilemmas For The Region And For Washington
  • May 1, 2009
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Bad Days in Basra
  • May 20, 2008
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Talk by Sheikha Lubna Al Qassimi
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The Challenge of Dealing with Syria
  • December 19, 2005