<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

Germany

Greece

France

United Kingdom

Cyprus

Spain

Italy

The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91) on Feb. 25 at the quay of the North Port in Malmo, Sweden. A prolonged conflict in the Middle East would increase Europe's exposure to security risks, including potential attacks on European-linked assets, renewed migration pressures and an elevated terrorism threat, particularly if European capitals assume a more active military or diplomatic role against the Iranian regime.

Military & Security

Politics

A protracted regional war threatens to expose the Continent to risks ranging from cyberattacks against critical infrastructure to a renewed influx of asylum seekers.

Prolonged Conflict in Iran Would Elevate Security, Migration Threats Against Europe

U.S.-Iran Relations

United States

Members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) participate in a military drill in an outpost near Arbil, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, on Jan. 15, 2026.

Economics

Although arming Iranian Kurdish factions might increase pressure on Tehran, such an uprising alone would be unlikely to collapse the regime, while significantly raising the risk of drawing Turkey and Iraq into the conflict.

The Risks and Constraints of a U.S.-Backed Kurdish Uprising in Iran

Volunteers clean up the rubble outside a government building in Tehran, Iran, that was destroyed by U.S. and Israeli strikes on March 4, 2026.

Energy

The war will most likely end in a tenuous ceasefire in the coming weeks, though a faster or slower truce is possible, depending on the U.S.'s political resolve to maintain its campaign against Iran.

The Iran War Will Last as Long as U.S. Political Resolve Does

People attend a gathering honoring Iran's former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on March 1, 2026, at Ashura Square in southern Beirut, Lebanon. 

The Iran war has thrown a wrench in Iraq's and Lebanon's political stalemates, likely further prolonging government formation and delaying elections.

Political Stalemates in Iraq and Lebanon Deepen Amid Regional Instability

Media

Podcasts

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is gone, and the U.S. and Israel-Iran war is widening. Here's what you need to know to navigate the immediate aftermath of the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.

RANE Red Alert: What To Watch Following the U.S.-Israeli Attacks on Iran

Smoke plumes billow following Israel's bombardment of Beirut's southern suburbs on March 2, 2026. 

Israel is set to escalate its campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, despite the Lebanese government's accelerated efforts to disarm the militant group.

Lebanon Joins the Region's Growing Conflict After Hezbollah Strikes Israel

Cargo ships and tankers are seen in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Fujairah, the United Arab Emirates, on Feb. 25, 2026. 

Although most of the Middle East's crucial oil and gas assets have so far been spared, a prolonged conflict would raise the risk of material supply disruptions and price shocks, particularly for LNG markets.

How Will the Iran War Impact the World's Oil and Gas Supplies?

Europe

A woman holds a photo of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as Iranians protest against attacks on Iran by Israel and the United States on Feb. 28, 2026 in Tehran, Iran. 

Global Trade

Depending on the duration of maritime disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, the escalating conflict is set to subject European economies to significant energy market volatility.

European Economic Growth Likely To Suffer From Impact of U.S. and Israel-Iran War

The Crown Plaza on March 1 showing damage from an Iranian military strike in Manama, Bahrain. Iran's attacks will push the Gulf Arab states more toward security alignment with the United States, and threaten their status as a secure investment destination.

Iran's attacks will push the Gulf Arab states more toward security alignment with the United States, and threaten their status as a secure investment destination.

The Implications of Iran's Attacks on the Gulf

Snapshots

People in Tehran look to the skies from a rooftop amid reports of widespread U.S. and Israeli attacks in Iran on Feb. 28, 2026.

The U.S. and Israel are pushing for regime change in Iran, though their attacks are most likely to yield an even more hostile government, as Iran has likely enacted mechanisms to ensure political continuity. 

What To Watch For Inside Iran Amid U.S. and Israeli Strikes

Ukraine

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered to share Ukraine's expertise in countering Iranian Shahed drones with the United States and Gulf partners in exchange for additional Patriot missiles and interceptors, Bloomberg reported on March 5.

Ukraine, U.S.: Kyiv Offers Drone Expertise for Patriot Missiles

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said Iran had committed a "terrorist act" and instructed the armed forces to prepare retaliatory measures after four Iranian drones crossed into the Naxcivan exclave, injuring four people and damaging the airport terminal and a nearby school, Reuters reported on March 5.

Azerbaijan, Iran: Drone Strike on Naxcivan Raises Escalation Risks

Cyber

The Israel Defense Forces said on March 4 that it conducted airstrikes against a facility in Tehran used as Iran's cyber warfare headquarters.

Iran, Israel: IDF Says It Struck Iran's Cyber Warfare Headquarters

The U.S. and Israel-Iran war has entered its second phase as U.S. and Israeli strikes have increasingly targeted Iran's underground ballistic missile sites and as the pace of Iranian attacks has slowed over the past several days, Reuters reported on March 4. 

MENA: Iran War Enters Second Phase

Indonesia

Indonesia's foreign minister said discussions related to the U.S.-led Board of Peace overseeing post-war stabilization in Gaza are on hold amid the U.S. and Israel-Iran war and as domestic criticism of Jakarta's participation grows, Channel News Asia reported on March 5.

Indonesia: Jakarta Reconsidering Board of Peace Role Amid Iran Conflict

Israel's military called for full-scale evacuations of southern Beirut ahead of massive air strikes there, as signs mounted that Israel was preparing a large ground incursion into southern Lebanon, The Times of Israel reported on March 5.

Israel, Lebanon: Signs of Israeli Reinvasion Mount

Sri Lanka

The Turkish Ministry of National Defense announced that NATO air and missile defenses had shot down an Iranian ballistic missile heading toward Turkish airspace, Reuters reported on March 4.

MENA: NATO Air Defenses Intercept Iranian Ballistic Missile, U.S. Sinks Iranian Warship

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to halt trade with Spain and instructed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to "cut off all dealings" with the country amid tensions over Madrid's refusal to allow U.S. forces to use jointly operated bases for strikes on Iran, Reuters reported on March 3.

Spain, U.S.: Trump Threatens Trade Cutoff After Madrid Blocks Use of U.S. Bases for Iran Strikes

Middle East and North Africa

SITUATION REPORTS

Ukraine, U.S.: Kyiv Offers Drone Expertise for Patriot Missiles

Azerbaijan, Iran: Drone Strike on Naxcivan Raises Escalation Risks

Iran, Israel: IDF Says It Struck Iran's Cyber Warfare Headquarters

MENA: Iran War Enters Second Phase

Indonesia: Jakarta Reconsidering Board of Peace Role Amid Iran Conflict

Israel, Lebanon: Signs of Israeli Reinvasion Mount

MENA: NATO Air Defenses Intercept Iranian Ballistic Missile, U.S. Sinks Iranian Warship

Spain, U.S.: Trump Threatens Trade Cutoff After Madrid Blocks Use of U.S. Bases for Iran Strikes

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