Ezra Hess

CFR Staff

Ezra Hess

Research Associate, Middle Eastern Studies

Ezra Hess is a research associate for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). Before joining CFR, he was a program associate at the National Coalition Supporting Eurasian Jewry. He holds a bachelor's degree in liberal studies from Indiana University – Bloomington, where he also triple-minored in history, international studies, and political science.  

Most Recent

Iran

The Islamic Republic’s Power Centers
Who calls the shots in Iran on economic policy, security, and domestic calls for reform? A look at the government’s organization chart indicates how complicated the answer is.

by CFR.org Editors June 16, 2025

Iran

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
The IRGC is one of the most powerful organizations in Iran, conceived as the principal defender of the 1979 revolution, and now a critical link to Islamist militant groups violently opposed to Israel and the United States.

by CFR.org Editors June 13, 2025

Diplomacy and International Institutions

What Does the G7 Do?
The Group of Seven (G7) has been a forum to coordinate global policy for fifty years, but experts are increasingly questioning the group’s relevance.

by CFR.org Editors June 10, 2025

Top Stories on CFR

Military Operations

Trump’s Military Response to Protests: A Conversation on Law and Precedent
The deployment of federal troops in Los Angeles has sparked concerns among some legal experts about the future of civilian-military relations in the United States. Two CFR experts weigh in on the potential implications.

by Matthew C. Waxman and Peter Mansoor June 16, 2025

Immigration and Migration

A Guide to the Countries on Trump’s 2025 Travel Ban List
The White House’s latest travel ban imposes restrictions on citizens from nineteen countries. Many of those affected are contending with crises at home.

by Mariel Ferragamo June 9, 2025

Economics

The Dollar’s Global Role and the Financing of the U.S. External Deficit
There is too much talk about the dollar’s role as a reserve currency and too little talk about expectations of exceptional returns. Reserve accumulation hasn’t driven the financing of the U.S. current account deficit in recent years.

by Brad W. Setser June 8, 2025 Follow the Money