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Middle East

FOI’s Middle East Programme studies security policy developments in and around the Middle East, North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. The programme’s research focuses on great-power interests, ongoing conflicts and interstate tensions, energy issues and extremism. The emphasis is on issues of particular relevance to Sweden and Europe.

An almost destroyed building.

Photo: Sergey Ponomarev

The areas and themes that are continuously studied include:

  • Great-power interests in the Middle East and North Africa.
  • Developments around the Persian Gulf, with particular focus on Iran and Saudi Arabia.
  • The Eastern Mediterranean, focusing on Turkey and its neighbours.
  • Ongoing armed conflicts, for example in Syria and Libya.

The Middle East Programme also maintains a readiness to study other subjects and nearby regions when necessary, and often participates in cross-disciplinary studies with other competence groups at FOI.

The programme is based at FOI’s head office in Kista, and includes among its clients the Government Offices of Sweden, the Swedish Armed Forces and other government agencies.

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Erika Holmquist, Project Manager, Senior Analyst (specialising in Iranian domestic and foreign policy).

Aron Lund, Analyst (specialising in Syria, Islamism, Arab politics and the Eastern Mediterranean).

Samuel Neuman Bergenwall, Senior Analyst (specialising in India, the Persian Gulf and the Levant).

Marianna Serveta, Junior analyst (specialising in Turkey, energy security and organised crime).

Associate researchers

Anders Strindberg, Senior researcher (specialising in violent extremism and terrorism, threats to democracy, Palestinian politics, and Islamism).

Aras Lindh, Analyst (specialising in Turkish domestic and foreign policy, non-state actors and Nato)

Magnus Evestedt, PhD, Scientist (specialising in missile technology and technical nonproliferation issues).

Magnus Normark, Senior Analyst (specialising in terrorism, chemical and biological weapons, nonproliferation and disarmament).

Michael Jonsson, PhD, Deputy Research Director (specialising in issues of political violence).

Karolina Lindén, Junior Analyst (specialising in Arab politics, Sudan and Afghanistan).

Staffan Lundin, PhD, Scientist (specialising in missile technology and technical nonproliferation issues).

Reports

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Last updated: 2025-03-10