U.S. Shows Allies & Opponents: We Are Willing to Use Force
U.S. President Donald Trump, in a filmed statement from his Mar-a-lago resort Thursday night – where he is currently meeting President Xi – said the […] More
Iran
After Nuclear Deal, Iran Looks to Profit in Syria
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s powerful, ideological military force, is one of the country’s most influential institutions, with major stakes in key sectors of […] More
Vying for Power in Iran
With one of the most complex systems of governance in the world, Iran finds itself at perhaps its most daunting political crossroads since the 1979 […] More
Uncertainty in Iran
In the perennial effort to deduce the likely evolution of the tumultuous relationship between the United States and Iran, all eyes today seem to be […] More
Iranian Leadership: Over the Horizon
As the Islamic Republic readies itself for another presidential election in May 2017, now is a good time to size up the state of affairs […] More
Iran Strategy Must Balance Deterrence with Diplomacy
Many U.S. policymakers have concluded that the Iranian government is an implacable enemy of the U.S. and that regime change is the only way to […] More
Defining Objectives for the U.S.-Iran Relationship
U.S. President Donald Trump and his Administration have been quick to use forceful rhetoric when discussing U.S. policy towards Iran during their first five weeks […] More
Sticking with the Complicated U.S.-Iran Relationship
U.S.-Iran tensions are likely to rise in the coming months. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 (United […] More
Dealing with a Difficult Iran: Get Smart
Like it or not, the Trump Administration will have to pay attention to Iran. The President’s predecessors, beginning in 1979, have taken multiple paths, usually […] More
Yemen's Importance to Saudi Arabia
For Saudi Arabia, Yemen is a vital security interest. The Saudis have long claimed a dominant role in shaping Yemen’s domestic politics. Yemen’s desert border […] More
Mosul: One Battle, Six Campaigns for the Trump Administration
Last October, I published a summary of the coalition battle to liberate Mosul from ISIS in The Cipher Brief, stressing that inside the one battle […] More
The Gulf Cooperation Council Operates in a Tumultuous Region
At a time that several Middle Eastern nations are plagued with civil strife, the Gulf Cooperation Council is a beacon of unity that has contributed […] More
GCC: A Force for Regional Stability
The Cipher Brief sat down with Marcelle Wahba, President of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab […] More
Saudi-Iranian Tension Drives GCC Policy
The Cipher Brief sat down the Former U.S. Ambassador to Oman, Gary Grappo, to discuss the current state of affairs in the Gulf Cooperation Council. […] More
Homeland Season 6: "A Flash of Light"
This season’s parallel plots begin to converge in episode four. Carrie’s houseguest, Peter Quinn, still recovering from his near-death experience, hasn’t been involved in the […] More
A History of What Works with Iran
The Trump Administration is correct that the U.S. should focus on the significant threat posed by Iran’s misbehavior in the Middle East. Luckily, history provides […] More
Trump and the New Map of the Middle East
The Middle East that the Trump Administration must now come to grips with is not the one Barack Obama envisioned leaving his successor when he […] More
Trump So Far: The Middle East View
When Donald Trump was elected as the 45th U.S. President, there was reason for some comfort amongst the United States’ traditional Arab allies in the […] More