Turkey and Iran are close trading partners; the trade volume between the two countries stands at $10 billion. However, the reimposition of U.S. sanctions on Iran puts Turkey, already on the verge of an economic crisis, in a difficult spot.

Despite the absence of a public and formal account of what transpired during the meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin in Helsinki on Jul. 16, it seems there is at least a tacit agreement between the two leaders that will impact Syria as well as Jordan's stability and security.

In this week's Monday Briefing, MEI experts Ahmad Majidyar, Gerald Feierstein, and Charles Lister provide analysis on the first batch of U.S. sanctions on Iran, leaked emails that may undermine the Trump administration's Mideast peace plan, and the assassination of a Syrian military scientist.

As the Assad regime completes its conquest of southwestern Syria, attention is shifting to the country’s northwest and in particular to the province of Idlib, the last remaining bastion of opposition control.

In this week's Monday Briefing, MEI experts provide analysis on Fatah-Hamas reconciliation talks in Cairo, possible cooperation between the Syrian Democratic Council and the Assad regime, the protests in Iraq, the U.S.’s lifting of restrictions on aid to Egypt, and Imran Khan's victory in the Pakistani elections.

What began as a regular rally for jobs near a Basran oil field has become a full-fledged protest movement, with Iraqis across the province demanding electricity, water, and employment. As the protests wind down, what legacy will they leave?

U.S. security aid to Lebanon has never been politically palatable, and it’s facing new headwinds these days. But the strategic case for continuing it remains sound.