Although still short of formal alliances, these two blocs are increasingly coherent. The first side is centered on Israel and the United Arab Emirates, extending outward to include Morocco, Greece, and even India. This camp is revisionist in orientation, seeking to reconfigure the region through military power, technological collaboration, and economic integration.
Iran’s recent domination of headlines from the Middle East, amid its violent crackdown on protesters and speculation about possible U.S. military strikes, obscures a more consequential regional shift. Tehran is no longer a principal actor shaping the region’s strategic trajectory. Instead, the Middle East is entering a new phase defined by competition between two emerging blocs: an Abrahamic and an Islamic coalition. How this rivalry evolves—rather than Iran’s next move—will do more to determine the region’s future and the U.S. role in it.
Iran’s recent domination of headlines from the Middle East, amid its violent crackdown on protesters and speculation about possible U.S. military strikes, obscures a more consequential regional shift. Tehran is no longer a principal actor shaping the region’s strategic trajectory.
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