MEPS Forum

“Engaging with both the United States and China has much to offer, but each is tacitly pressing others.” — @HowardJShatz Read the full analysis: mepsforum.org/post/middle-po…

Middle Powers and the US-China Rivalry. Writing for MEPS Insights, @HowardJShatz draws on the insights of a high-level panel at MEPS Forum 2025 to assess how governments can manage the US-China rivalry. Read the full analysis: mepsforum.org/post/middle-po…

"While Gaza is the most visible arena, the logic underpinning the Board of Peace is not confined to Palestine." Revisit this piece by @frencio_schiavi following the launch of President Trump's Board of Peace: mepsforum.org/post/the-limit…

"After the June war, there was a view in Iran that it should not have accepted the ceasefire." Revisit this piece by Dr. Dalia Dassa Kaye on the struggle to build a stable regional order: mepsforum.org/post/the-story…

"Palestinians’ marginal role in shaping the initiative has drawn criticism not only from civil society but also from regional diplomats." Revisit this piece by @frencio_schiavi following the launch of President Trump's Board of Peace: mepsforum.org/post/the-limit…

"Compared to Israel, Gulf cities lack robust early-warning policies; there is no comprehensive network of shelters across their territories."—@JeanLoupSamaan Revisit this compilation of analysis and insights from our network of experts following the escalation in the Iran War: mepsforum.org/post/the-war-w…

"The most shocking Israeli action, particularly from the Gulf viewpoint, was Israel’s attack in Qatar." Revisit this piece by Dr. Dalia Dassa Kaye on the struggle to build a stable regional order: mepsforum.org/post/the-story…

"A core problem exposed by the Board of Peace is the absence of a shared definition of what peace actually means." Revisit this piece by @frencio_schiavi following the launch of President Trump's Board of Peace: mepsforum.org/post/the-limit…

"Iraqi government insists it is staying out of the regional conflict. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has said Iraqi territory will not be used for others’ wars."—Dr. Yaniv Voller of @RUSI_org Revisit this compilation of analysis and insights from our network of experts following the escalation in the Iran War: mepsforum.org/post/the-war-w…

"From Iran’s perspective, the war only bolstered voices who argued that the United States was never serious about diplomacy." Revisit this piece by Dr. Dalia Dassa Kaye on the struggle to build a stable regional order: mepsforum.org/post/the-story…

"The US–Israeli air and naval campaign marks a major turning point. Iran’s decades of regional disruption—from militias to its nuclear program—are forcing Gulf states to pick sides and rethink security."— Sir John Jenkins Revisit this piece by MEPS Forum Experts as the war with Iran escalates: mepsforum.org/post/the-war-w…

“Gulf states such as the UAE and Qatar, which long defined themselves as stable bubbles disconnected from the turbulence of the Middle East, will face a reckoning.”— @JeanLoupSamaan Revisit this piece by MEPS Forum Experts as the war with Iran escalates: mepsforum.org/post/the-war-w…

“Iraqi officials claim they cannot confront these militias militarily, but the government still has options: publicly name the factions responsible, cut off their funding, expel them from the PMF, and possibly confiscate their weapons.” — @MohammedASalih Read the full analysis: mepsforum.org/post/the-war-w…

“Iran’s near-simultaneous attack on these countries and other neighbours has led some to question the durability of this image. The level of violence these states have just experienced is unprecedented.” —Dr. Yaniv Voller of @RUSI_org Read the full analysis: mepsforum.org/post/the-war-w…

“Kurdistan has become one of the arenas through which Tehran wages a multi-front campaign against U.S. interests and Iranian Kurdish opposition groups.”— @MohammedASalih Read the full analysis: mepsforum.org/post/the-war-w…

“Given the scale of Iran’s sustained attacks on Gulf states, this war is likely to change the strategic culture of Arab monarchies in dramatic ways.”—@JeanLoupSamaan Read the full analysis: mepsforum.org/post/the-war-w…

“The current war, although undeniably traumatising, could yet prove a blessing in disguise—depending, of course, on its outcomes.” — Dr. Yaniv Voller of @RUSI_org Read the full analysis: mepsforum.org/post/the-war-w…

“The core problems in Iran — economic mismanagement, environmental degradation, water shortages, and corruption — are rooted in the incompetence of the ruling clerico-military establishment. You cannot solve that from 15,000 feet.” — Sir John Jenkins Read the full analysis: mepsforum.org/post/the-war-w…

"Evidence is mounting that Washington has been prompting the Kurdish leadership and the Peshmerga to facilitate the entry of Kurdish forces. Given past experience, it is doubtful that the Kurdish leadership can, or should, fully trust guarantees or promises offered in return." — Dr. Yaniv Voller of @RUSI_org Read the full analysis: mepsforum.org/post/the-war-w…

War with Iran: Drawing on the insights of our network of experts, this compilation looks at how the war will shape Iran's future, its lasting consequences for the region and its impact on the Gulf states, Kurdistan, and Iraq. Read the full analysis: mepsforum.org/post/the-war-w…