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5 days ago | 
arabcenterdc.org | Ethan Mayer- RichManager |Ethan Mayer-Rich
Lawmakers returned to Washington after a short break away from the Capitol. Their two-week recess coincided with major developments in the Middle East. The United States and Iran have held three rounds of direct talks over the latter’s nuclear program, but the situation remains delicate as a tentative fourth round of talks was recently postponed.
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1 week ago | 
arabcenterdc.org | Kristian Coates Ulrichsen
As regional leaders gear up for President Donald Trump’s first politically substantive overseas visit in his second term in office—to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—the issue of Iran looms large, just as it did when he made Saudi Arabia the destination of his first foreign visit in his first term in May 2017.
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1 week ago | 
arabcenterdc.org | Ethan Mayer- RichManager |Ethan Mayer-Rich
I. Legislative Branch1) LegislationHouse Democrats Concerned with Violence in West Bank. On April 28, Reps. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Adam Smith (D-WA), and Jim Himes (D-CT) introduced H.R.3045, which would sanction individuals perpetrating violence in the West Bank. Sen. Risch Introduces Bill to Defend Israel at the United Nations.
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2 weeks ago | 
arabcenterdc.org | Ethan Mayer- RichManager |Ethan Mayer-Rich
I. Legislative Branch1) LegislationRepublican-Led Bill Would Let Americans Sue UNRWA. On April 14, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced legislation that would enable lawsuits in US courts against international organizations, such as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, that are accused of providing material support to terrorist groups. House Resolution Looks to Recognize Arab American Heritage Month. On April 24, Rep.
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2 weeks ago | 
arabcenterdc.org | Imad K. Harb
On April 13, 2025, the Lebanese, to the day, commemorated the 50th anniversary of the start of Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war that, with hindsight, can be seen as the seminal event in the life of the country and the surrounding region.
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3 weeks ago | 
arabcenterdc.org | Daniel Brumberg
Over the last week, Iran hardliners in Washington have issued dire warnings about the Trump administration’s launching of nuclear talks with Iran. Iranian leaders, one such analyst argued, will “exploit these different negotiating positions…as soon as the regime smells desperation.” This warning is certainly valid.
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3 weeks ago | 
arabcenterdc.org | Ethan Mayer- RichManager |Ethan Mayer-Rich
I. Legislative Branch1) LegislationHouse Bill Targets Government Funding Going to Iran. On April 14, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) introduced H.R.2917, which would require the reporting and public disclosure of any funding from a government grant or contract that goes to an entity located in a “foreign country of concern,” including Iran. Bipartisan Anti-BDS Legislation Introduced. On April 16, Reps.
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1 month ago | 
arabcenterdc.org | Imad K. Harb
Sudan’s ‘war of the generals’ between the Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti) will complete its second year this April 15 without definite signs of ending. Battle lines have shifted dramatically over the last few months in favor of the SAF, but so far this has not pointed to Burhan’s imminent and complete victory or to Dagalo’s withdrawal from the fight or his final defeat.
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1 month ago | 
arabcenterdc.org | Ethan Mayer- RichManager |Ethan Mayer-Rich
I. Legislative Branch1) LegislationLawmakers Continue Pressure on Campus Protests and Higher Ed Funding. On April 7, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) introduced H.R.2686, which would fine colleges and universities that violate students’ civil rights under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, citing concerns about alleged anti-Semitism on campus. On April 9, Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) and Rep.
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1 month ago | 
arabcenterdc.org | Ethan Mayer- RichManager |Ethan Mayer-Rich
I. Legislative Branch1) LegislationFlurry of New Legislation Targets Iran. On March 26, Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO) introduced 1136 and H.R.2394, which would enhance criminal sentences for offenses directed by foreign governments, namely Iran. On March 31, Rep. William Keating (D-MA) introduced R.2505, which would require the US government to develop strategies to prevent the export of technologies related to unmanned aircraft systems to Iran. On April 1, Rep.