Steven A. Cook
Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies and Director of the Middle East Program
Middle East Program
The Council on Foreign Relations’ Middle East program provides analysis of the region’s political, economic, and social trends, offering insights into its current instability, its future trajectory, and U.S. policy toward it. The program and affiliated fellows inform policymakers, opinion leaders, and the general public through publications, meetings, and briefings.
Program Experts
Elliott Abrams
Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies
Henri J. Barkey
Adjunct Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies
Elisa Ewers
Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies
Ed Husain
Senior Fellow
Farah Pandith
Senior Fellow
Linda Robinson
Senior Fellow for Women and Foreign Policy
Ray Takeyh
Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies
Featured Content
Expert Take
Expert Take
Expert Take
Expert TakeBy Steven A. Cook, Farah Pandith, Henri J. Barkey, Elliott Abrams, Bruce Hoffman, Ed Husain and Elisa Ewers
Expert TakeArchive
2989 results
Previewing the Biden Visit With Martin Indyk
Israel Policy Pod
Featuring Martin S. Indyk- Expert Take
What Erdogan Gets by Being a Spoiler in NATO
Foreign Policy
By Steven A. Cook - By Elliott Abrams
- Expert TakeBy Steven A. Cook and Martin S. Indyk
By Elliott Abrams
ReportBy Steven A. Cook and Martin S. Indyk- Expert Take
Dissent Is Getting Even More Dangerous in Turkey
World Politics Review
By Henri J. Barkey - By Ray Takeyh
- Expert Take
Biden Was Always Going to Need Saudi Arabia
Foreign Policy
By Steven A. Cook - Expert TakeBy Elliott Abrams
- Expert TakeBy Henri J. Barkey
- Expert Take
The BDS Movement Has Already Lost
Foreign Policy
By Steven A. Cook - Expert Take
Iran’s Hard-Liners Believe They’re Winning on Nuclear Weapons
Wall Street Journal
By Ray Takeyh and Reuel Marc Gerecht The Arab-Israeli Detente
Hopkins Podcast on Foreign Affairs
Featuring Martin S. Indyk- Expert Take
The Middle East’s Kumbaya Moment Won’t Last
Foreign Policy
By Steven A. Cook - By Steven A. Cook
- Featuring Martin S. Indyk
By Elliott Abrams and Gideon Weiss- Expert Take
Reducing Pressure on Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Raises Risks for America
The National Interest
By Elliott Abrams - Expert TakeBy Steven A. Cook
- Expert Take
Saving the Ayatollahs
National Review
By Ray Takeyh and Reuel Marc Gerecht - By Steven A. Cook
- Featuring Martin S. Indyk
- Expert Take
Ukraine’s War Is Erdogan’s Opportunity
Foreign Policy
By Steven A. Cook