The Atlantic Council is a Washington-based non-partisan think tank focused on transatlantic relations, NATO strategy, energy security and global security. Founded in 1961, it convenes policymakers, former officials and analysts through more than 25 active research programmes.

Its work covers European defence, sanctions, nuclear non-proliferation and energy markets. During the Iran conflict, the Council warned that European gas storage was below 30% as the refill season began and Ras Laffan was offline.

The organisation matters because its research connects security commitments with the economic systems that sustain them. Its analyst Bilal Saab highlighted the Hormuz Coalition's unpublished rules of engagement on 20 May. That places the Council in debates about whether US and European partners can maintain credible collective action.

Key Issues

Alliance policy

Its alliance case faces a test

On 4 March, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected NATO Article 5 obligations during the Iran conflict. For the Atlantic Council, whose work centres on transatlantic security and collective defence, that position put a core institutional premise into a live policy dispute.

On 20 May, the Hormuz Coalition had deployed for eight days without publishing rules of engagement. The gap gave the Council's security analysts a concrete example of the Alliance-coordination problem its research addresses: military participation without agreed public rules can weaken deterrence and leave partners uncertain about commitments.

Common Questions

What is the Atlantic Council?

The Atlantic Council is a Washington-based non-partisan think tank founded in 1961 to strengthen transatlantic relations. It publishes analysis on NATO strategy, European security, energy markets, and US Foreign Policy across more than 25 research programmes.

What did the Atlantic Council say about European gas storage in 2026?

The Atlantic Council warned that European gas storage stood below 30%, a five-year low, as the critical summer refill season began while the strait of Hormuz remained closed and Qatar's Ras Laffan LNG facility was offline following Iranian strikes.Source: event

Is the Atlantic Council pro-NATO?

Yes. The Atlantic Council was founded expressly to support the transatlantic alliance and NATO. Its analysis consistently advocates for collective defence obligations and European security integration, positions that are now in tension with the Trump administration's public stance on Article 5.

What has the Atlantic Council said about US sanctions on Russia?

The Atlantic Council has tracked the Trump administration's dismantling of US sanctions enforcement, including the disbanding of Task Force KleptoCapture and the concurrent signing of Russia General Licence 134B as Iranian sanctions coverage lapsed.

What is the Atlantic Council's position on the Iran conflict?

The Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center and Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative publish analysis on Gulf diplomacy and Iran negotiations, including the Antalya quartet process, warning that the US withdrawal from multilateral frameworks weakens Western leverage.Source: Atlantic Council

What did the Atlantic Council say about the Hormuz coalition rules of engagement?

Atlantic Council analyst Bilal Saab argued in May 2026 that the 26-nation Hormuz Coalition's failure to publish rules of engagement eight days after deployment undermined its deterrence value, drawing a contrast with Reagan's Operation Earnest Will which had clear escalation thresholds from the outset.Source: event

Source Material

Atlantic Council — Wikipedia Atlantic Council — Official Website