What Brookings experts had to say about the biggest Middle East stories of 2015

It’s been another tumultuous year in the Middle East, marked by historic breakthroughs and bouts of brutal violence. Here’s what Brookings experts had to say about the biggest regional stories of 2015:

Deal or no deal: The JCPOA, its regional effects, and the U.S. response

A week before the signing of a historic nuclear accord with Iran, : the timeline for nuclear “breakout,” easing economic sanctions, regional implications, Iran’s evolution, and the effects on U.S. domestic politics. Even after the deal was signed and as “Implementation Day” approaches, these issues remain flashpoints for the debate over U.S. policy toward Tehran. 

After the deal was signed, . Washington’s need to garner support for the agreement meant that it was less effective in supporting solutions to conflicts in Yemen, Syria, and elsewhere. Amid calls from some corners to abandon the deal, , encouraging efforts to strengthen the deal instead. He offered an array of steps that the United States and its allies could undertake to address many of the critics’ concerns.

The deal’s implications cascaded well beyond Iran itself. won’t stabilize the Middle East and that Iran’s regional troublemaking will likely increase. She challenged Arab states to focus their response on helping to end the region’s civil wars and strengthening their own societies, as these efforts would limit Iranian meddling. Broadening the scope, Tanvi Madan wrote that , the deal will likely for engagement over isolation in dealing with Iran. 

[image error] to capitalize on the “Nobel moment” by resisting crackdowns and reminding the world of Tunisia’s relevance and continued need for support, respectively. 

For a run-down of some of the major foreign policy developments elsewhere in the world, . To a more peaceful new year!

Authors

Emma Borden