<p>The Middle East and North Africa is the world&#39;s crossroads. It encompasses the Arabian Peninsula, the mountains of Iran, the plains of Turkey, the deserts of the Levant, the lands north of the Sahara and all coasts in between. The story of the region, as is so often the case of places stuck between foreign players, is the story of trade, exchange and conflict. The traditional powers of the region are Turkey and Iran &mdash; Saudi Arabia and Egypt are the current Arab powers &mdash; and their competition for influence over the region&#39;s weaker states makes the Middle East and North Africa an arena of violence and instability.</p>

The Middle East and North Africa encompasses the Arabian Peninsula, the mountains of Iran, the plains of Turkey, the deserts of the Levant, the lands north of the Sahara and all coasts in between.

Middle East and North Africa

Algeria

Bahrain

Egypt

Iran

Iraq

Israel

Jordan

Kuwait

Lebanon

Libya

Morocco

Oman

Palestinian Territories

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Syria

Tunisia

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Western Sahara

Yemen

The Syrian Civil War

The Yemen Civil War

The Libyan Civil War

The Fight Against the Islamic State

The Saudi Survival Strategy

The Kurdish Struggle

Iran's Arc of Influence

Israel's Survival Strategy

The Difficulties of North African Reform

Egypt's Uphill Battle

The Battle for Mosul

Assessments

Somalia

United States

Europe

Philippe Lazzarini (C), the commissioner general for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, attends a humanitarian conference for Gaza in Cairo, Egypt, on Dec. 2, 2024, amid the continuing Israel-Hamas war.

Economics

Military & Security

Politics

Egypt's economic limitations will continue to restrain its assertiveness in foreign policy, constraining its ability to project power in the region.

Egypt's Economic Priorities Sideline Assertive Foreign Policy

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Eurasia

South Asia

Cyber

Energy

Environment, Science & Technology

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Social Issues

Intensifying trade wars, a potential ceasefire in Ukraine, continued volatility in the Middle East and consequential elections in key countries will shape the quarter.

2025 Second-Quarter Forecast: An Excerpt

Global Elections

U.S.-China Relations

U.S.-Iran Relations

China

South Korea

Germany

France

United Kingdom

Ukraine

Russia

People wave flags and chant slogans during a protest in front of the municipality headquarters in support of arrested Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on March 19, 2025, in Istanbul, Turkey. 

Global Trade

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: U.S. To Announce Tariffs, Protests in Turkey Rage On

Snapshots

People in Istanbul, Turkey, walk past a currency exchange board showing the Turkish lira, which fell to historic lows against the dollar upon the news of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu's arrest on March 19, 2025. 

Extensive foreign exchange sales have so far kept the Turkish lira relatively stable, but this is a high-risk strategy as it could eventually force Ankara to allow for significant exchange rate depreciation.

Turkey's Efforts To Stabilize Markets Amid Protests May Not Be Sustainable

Escorted by riot police, students burn flares on March 24, 2025, as they march along the streets of Istanbul, Turkey, in support of the city's mayor after he was arrested on corruption charges. 

The protests will likely last for several more weeks following the arrest of Erdogan's top rival, but unless organizers can tap into other grievances, the movement eventually risks losing momentum.

Assessing the Pro-Democracy Protests in Turkey and Their Threat to Erdogan

Participants attend the annual Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 29, 2024. 

The kingdom is increasingly likely to continue to scale back less viable megaprojects while focusing on successful reforms.

As the Finish Line Approaches, Saudi Arabia Dials Back Its Vision 2030 Ambitions

Brazil

Japan

Vietnam

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a joint press conference Feb. 16 at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem. Senior Israeli officials from the security and intelligence ministries will visit the United States to discuss Iran's nuclear program and Israeli border demarcation talks with Lebanon.

The Weekly Rundown: The U.S. and Israel Coordinate on Iran, the U.K. Chancellor Seeks Fiscal Discipline

People wave Turkish national flags as they protest in Istanbul on March 20, 2025, following Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu's detention over a corruption probe.

The charismatic Istanbul mayor's detention will likely trigger protests and further undermine his party's ability to challenge Erdogan and the AKP in the 2028 presidential election.

In Turkey, Imamoglu's Arrest Dims the Opposition's Presidential Prospects

Smoke billows during Israeli strikes west of Gaza City on March 18, 2025. 

In the coming days and weeks, Israel will likely carry out phased escalations and de-escalations to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages, returning Gaza to war by effectively collapsing the January ceasefire.

Large-Scale Israeli Airstrikes Plunge Gaza Back Into an Open-Ended Conflict

A rally on Jan. 24 in Sanaa, the Houthi-controlled capital of Yemen. Should the United States attack Iranian ships and advisers supporting the Houthi rebel group, Houthi and Iranian retaliation would become likelier to extend beyond U.S. and Israeli targets to include regional oil and gas installations.

Should the United States also attack Iranian ships and advisers supporting the Yemeni rebel group, Houthi and Iranian retaliation would become likelier to extend beyond U.S. and Israeli targets to include regional oil and gas installations. 

U.S. Strikes on Houthis Risk Embroiling Iran and the Regional Energy Industry

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that Israel had significantly expanded its ground operations in the Gaza Strip to "capture extensive territory that will be added to the State of Israel’s security areas," CNN reported on April 2. 

Israel, Palestinian Territories: Israel Expands Ground Operations

Ozgur Ozel, the head of Turkey's opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, called for an economic boycott on April 2 to protest the arrest of CHP presidential candidate Ekrem Imamoglu and the arrest of 301 university students in subsequent protests, Hurriyet reported on April 2.

Turkey: Opposition Calls for Economic Boycott 

The United States is "seriously" considering Iran's proposal for indirect nuclear talks through Omani intermediaries, Axios reported on April 2, citing two U.S. officials. 

U.S., Iran: Trump Administration Weighs Iran's Offer of Indirect Nuclear Talks 

Syria's provisional government announced a new transitional government that included minorities, former government officials, exiles and technocrats, The New York Times reported on March 30.

Syria: New Transitional Government Includes Minorities but Maintains Status Quo

U.S. President Donald Trump warned that if Iran does not reach a nuclear deal with the United States, "there will be bombing" and so-called secondary tariffs on Iranian oil, according to a March 30 interview with Axios.

Iran: Trump Threatens To Place Secondary Tariffs, Bomb Iran Absent a Nuclear Deal

Israel struck what it claimed was a Hezbollah drone unit in the southern suburbs of Beirut, the first such strikes in Lebanon's capital city since the November 2024 Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, after unknown militants fired two rockets from Lebanon into Israel, The Times of Israel reported on March 28.

Israel, Lebanon: Israel Strikes Beirut, Endangering Its Ceasefire With Hezbollah

Lebanon and Syria signed a Saudi-mediated border demarcation agreement on March 27, which is set to expand bilateral cooperation through the formation of legal and specialized committees, AP reported March 28. 

Lebanon, Syria: Lebanon and Syria Reach Border Demarcation, Cooperation Agreement

The U.S. State Department approved an initial sale of eight MQ-9B Predator drones to Qatar for $2 billion, AP reported on March 27.

U.S., Qatar: U.S. Starts Approval Process for MQ-9B Drone Sale to Qatar

Middle East and North Africa

SITUATION REPORTS

Israel, Palestinian Territories: Israel Expands Ground Operations

Turkey: Opposition Calls for Economic Boycott

U.S., Iran: Trump Administration Weighs Iran's Offer of Indirect Nuclear Talks

Syria: New Transitional Government Includes Minorities but Maintains Status Quo

Iran: Trump Threatens To Place Secondary Tariffs, Bomb Iran Absent a Nuclear Deal

Israel, Lebanon: Israel Strikes Beirut, Endangering Its Ceasefire With Hezbollah

Lebanon, Syria: Lebanon and Syria Reach Border Demarcation, Cooperation Agreement

U.S., Qatar: U.S. Starts Approval Process for MQ-9B Drone Sale to Qatar

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