Defense Priorities
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ISRAEL-IRAN EXPERTS

Rosemary
Kelanic

Director, Middle East Program

Defense Priorities

Photo of Benjamin Friedman

Benjamin
Friedman

Policy Director

Defense Priorities

Jennifer
Kavanagh

Senior Fellow & Director of Military Analysis

Defense Priorities

Photo of Daniel Davis

Daniel
Davis

Senior Fellow & Military Expert

Defense Priorities

Photo of Daniel DePetris

Daniel
DePetris

Fellow

Defense Priorities

Photo of Will Walldorf

William
Walldorf

Senior Fellow

Defense Priorities

Photo of Gil Barndollar

Gil
Barndollar

Non-Resident Fellow

Defense Priorities

Policy PaperGrand strategy, Middle East

A plan for U.S. withdrawal from the Middle East

By Mike Sweeney

December 21, 2020

Key points Thinking through the process of transiting U.S. forces completely out of the Middle East gives additional depth to […]

BriefIsrael‑Hamas, Israel, Israel‑Iran, Middle East

Understanding the Israel-Hamas War

By Michael DiMino

November 3, 2023

ExplainerMiddle East, Iran

“Maximum pressure” harms diplomacy and increases risks of war with Iran

By Daniel DePetris

November 19, 2021

The Latest

op-edIsrael‑Iran, Middle East

A U.S. war with Iran would be a catastrophe

By Rosemary Kelanic

June 14, 2025

op-edIsrael‑Iran, Middle East

How should the U.S. respond to Israel’s attack on Iran?

By Daniel DePetris

June 14, 2025

In the mediaIsrael‑Iran, Iran, Israel, Middle East

Trump scrambles to claim credit for Israel’s Iran attack he publicly opposed

Featuring Rosemary Kelanic

June 13, 2025

In the mediaIsrael‑Iran, Middle East

How close was Iran to a nuclear weapon before Israel’s strike on Tehran?

Featuring Rosemary Kelanic

June 13, 2025

In the mediaIsrael‑Iran, Middle East

Trump talks big on global diplomacy, but his goals are in tatters

Featuring Dan Caldwell

June 13, 2025

Press ReleaseIsrael‑Iran, Middle East

The U.S. should avoid another war in the Middle East

By Rosemary Kelanic

June 12, 2025

DEFP in the Media

Connect with Experts

Read at the Guardian: Trump scrambles to claim credit for Israel’s Iran attack he publicly opposed

Featuring Rosemary Kelanic

June 13, 2025

Read at Fox News: How close was Iran to a nuclear weapon before Israel’s strike on Tehran?

Featuring Rosemary Kelanic

June 13, 2025

Read at the New York Times: Trump talks big on global diplomacy, but his goals are in tatters

Featuring Dan Caldwell

June 13, 2025

Events

virtualGrand strategy, Iran, Middle East, Syria
January 16, 202411:00AM–12:00PM ET

Past Virtual Event: Keeping the U.S. out of war in the Middle East

The war started by Hamas’s surprise October 7 attack on Israel could still escalate into a regional conflict, even one […]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlzMG9iiqY8
virtualGrand strategy, Middle East
February 6, 202411:00AM–12:00PM ET

Past Virtual Event: Does the Middle East still matter?

The Middle East is back at the forefront of U.S. foreign policy discourse. The war in Gaza has escalated to […]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P8i-plHnK8
in-personCounterterrorism, Middle East
November 27, 201810:00AM–11:00AM ET

Past In-Person Event: Recalibrating Middle East policy

Most Americans reacted with horror and outrage as we learned about the barbaric murder of Saudi citizen, U.S. resident, and […]