Analysis
How the Athens-Riyadh Axis Is Developing a New Security Complex
Peace through Hedging – Pakistan’s Diplomacy in the Middle East Conflict
The US-Israel-Iran War and the Reorientation of the Kurdish-Turkish Peace Process
Israel’s New Military Strategy in Iran
America’s Suez Canal Conundrum
Iran-Israel Conflict Raises Questions on Effectiveness of AI-Integrated Air Defence Systems
Why Hardliners Have Taken Power in Iran
Ceasefire in Iran masks failed regime change as hardliners rise, IRGC gains power, and conflict reshapes regional dynamics.
Seeing Isn’t Believing: Disinformation and the Collapse of Verification in the Iran War
AI-driven disinformation in the Iran war erodes trust, overwhelms verification and reshapes conflict as truth struggles to compete with viral falsehood.
Publications
First edition: March 2026
Ongoing operations have significantly impacted Iran’s conventional military capabilities, while eliminating key members of its leadership. However, remarkable resilience has been displayed by Iran’s security forces.
First edition: September 2025
The June 2025 12-Day War between Israel and Iran marked the first direct, large-scale confrontation between the two states, fundamentally reshaping regional dynamics.
Recent Initiatives
Women's Leadership Initiative
Directed by award-winning Iranian American author, historian, and women’s rights advocate Dr. Nina Ansary, the Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) promotes open, inclusive dialogue between scholars, activists, thought leaders, business leaders, and policy practitioners about women’s rights issues in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Mahsa Jina Amini Fellowship
Dedicated to supporting emerging female scholars, policymakers, leaders and advocates who are committed to driving change in Iran and across the Middle East and North Africa region, advancing the cause of women’s rights, gender equality and social justice.
Cambridge MENAF Announces Inaugural Mahsa Jina Amini Fellow
MENAF is pleased to announce the launch of the Mahsa Jina Amini Fellowship and the selection of Djanan Deghati as the inaugural Fellow.
Critical Minerals Initiative
By bringing together stakeholders from the private sector, policymaking and diplomatic circles as well as academia, the Critical Minerals Initiative (CMI) aims to foster relationships across government, business and research, and analyse the mining, refining and trade of critical minerals from a British foreign policy and development perspective, looking to support the building of prosperous and mutually beneficial cooperation between the United Kingdom and her partners in the Middle East, Africa and beyond.
Applied History Initiative
The Applied History Initiative (AHI) is a response to the need to inform Middle East policy with deep historical insight. The AHI serves as a hub for historically-minded research into the Middle East’s most pressing diplomatic and strategic issues. Its work is to encourage historians to apply their expertise to Middle East policy, and to support policymakers with historical insight as they approach the region’s key issues.
Strategic Brief
The Strategic Brief is a concise news summary of the past week’s events complete with forward-looking projections on what’s next in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Upcoming Events
From keynote speeches, through expert panel debates, to roundtable discussions, the Forum hosts a variety of events throughout the year.
Browse among the lineup of events we hosted in the past.
Syria in Transition: War, Power, and Strategic Shifts
Syria in Transition: War, Power, and Strategic Shifts 14th May 2026, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (London, UK time)Location/Venue: Online on Zoom *Register for attending the event (opens in new
Previous Events
The Hamas-Israel War: Regional Perspectives
31 October 2023
2023 Turkish Elections: 5 More Years of Erdogan?
7 March 2023
Domestic and Foreign Policy Under Israel's New Government
13 February 2023
In Conversation with Brian Hook
14 December 2022
Find complete event recordings featured on YouTube
MENAF is not only an excellent forum for the dispassionate discussion of the current Middle East, but the fastest-growing such venture in Cambridge.
Professor Brendan Simms, University of Cambridge
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