Barbara Slavin

Washington, D.C.

Distinguished Fellow, Stimson Center, lecturer GW University, ex-Atlantic Council, author of Bitter Friends, Bosom Enemies. Tweets=personal views.

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Articles

Russia, China, and the E-3 Root from the Sidelines As US and Iran Talk in Oman

1 month ago | stimson.org | Barbara Slavin |Joaquin Matamis

Editor’s Note: Ilya Roubanis has previously written for Stimson about outside powers and Syria. Ehsan Dastgheib is an Iran and Middle East Expert at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
Navigating Security, Economy, and Diplomacy in Post-Assad Syria

2 months ago | stimson.org | Alexander Langlois |Barbara Slavin |Joaquin Matamis

Editor’s Note: Alex Langlois analyzes the geopolitics of the Middle East and North Africa with a particular focus on the Levant and Syria. He has written for the National Interest, Newsweek, the New Arab, Common Dreams, Inkstick, Real Clear Defense, and Real Clear World and published with Carnegie, the Quincy Institute, the Lowy Institute, and Gulf International Forum among others.
Pragmatism Shapes Growing GCC Engagement With the Taliban

2 months ago | stimson.org | Barbara Slavin |Joaquin Matamis

Editor’s Note: Leonardo Jacopo Maria Mazzucco is a specialist on security issues involving the Persian Gulf and nearby waters. He has written previously for Stimson on maritime threats in the Persian Gulf and the role of the Houthis as well as about arms and drug trafficking in the region.
No Easy Solutions For Iran’s Water Shortages and Power Outages

2 months ago | stimson.org | Barbara Slavin |Joaquin Matamis

Editor’s Note: While the Stimson Center rarely publishes anonymous work, the author of this commentary is a Tehran-based analyst who has requested anonymity out of legitimate concern for their personal safety. The writer is known to appropriate staff, has a track record of reliable analysis, and is in a position to provide an otherwise unavailable perspective. By Barbara Slavin, Distinguished Fellow, Middle East PerspectivesIran’s water consumption.
Will Gulf States Invest in Lebanon Again Amid Hezbollah’s Decline?

2 months ago | stimson.org | Barbara Slavin |Joaquin Matamis

Editor’s Note: A frequent contributor to Stimson on Middle East conflicts and diplomacy, Giorgio Cafiero has a particular expertise analyzing the foreign policies of Arab states in the Levant and bordering the Persian Gulf.
Azerbaijan’s Deepening Energy Ties With Israel

2 months ago | stimson.org | Fuad Shahbazov |Barbara Slavin |Joaquin Matamis

Editor’s Note: Fuad Shahbazov is an Azerbaijan-based policy analyst and specializes in regional security issues in South Caucasus and the wider Middle East. He has previously contributed to Stimson’s Middle East Perspective about these topics and has expertise on Turkey’s strategic affairs and the resurgence of ISIS.
Iran’s Crisis Deepens as Informal Networks Flourish

2 months ago | stimson.org | Mohammad Al Salami |Mohammad Reza Salami |Barbara Slavin |Joaquin Matamis

Editor’s Note: Mohammad Salami, a Pakistani academic, focuses on Iran’s economic problems as well as societal trends. He has written for Stimson in the past on Iran’s energy woes, its efforts to control Internet access and the role of sanctions in limiting its ability to function as a hub for trade.
Kurdish Leader’s Call for Peace Could Reshape the Middle East

Mar 5, 2025 | stimson.org | Binar FK |Barbara Slavin |Joaquin Matamis

Editor’s Note: Binar FK worked for a decade as a journalist based in Iraqi Kurdistan, covering wars, politics and extremist groups such as ISIS, al-Qaeda and Iranian proxies. He has also collaborated with the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, YouGov, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International, among other organizations working to resolve conflicts. He has asked that his last name be masked for reasons of personal safety.
Iran Fears US-Russia Reconciliation Could Come At Its Expense

Feb 28, 2025 | stimson.org | Emil Avdaliani |Barbara Slavin |Joaquin Matamis

Editor’s Note: From his base in Georgia, academic Emil Avdaliani follows regional security and economic trends and contributes frequently to Stimson on these topics. The author of a recent book, “China, Russia and New Eurasian Order,” he is particularly expert on regional ties with Russia and China and has also written for the Carnegie Endowment and for Trends Research and Advisory.
UAE Transitions From Arms Importer to Competitor With the West

Feb 26, 2025 | stimson.org | Robert Czulda |Barbara Slavin |Joaquin Matamis

Editor’s Note: Robert Czulda specializes in the military/defense industries of Middle Eastern states and has written for Stimson in the past about Iranian arms purchases from Russia and Saudi weapons manufacturing. By Barbara Slavin, Distinguished Fellow, Middle East PerspectivesLast week, the United Arab Emirates hosted the largest defense trade fair in the Middle East and one of the largest in the world.