Publication

This paper discusses how the geopolitical situation in the Middle East is being altered by a number of structural shifts resulting from the position and relative influence of specific actors both within the region and around the world. These shifts include 1) the relative loss of influence of the United States and Europe; 2) the increase in the involvement of Russia and China in the region; 3) the resurgence of the Iranian-Saudi rivalry; 4) the emergence in the region of a number of mid-sized powers who have the power to determine their own foreign policy; and 5) the increasing role of non-state actors in shaping regional developments.