Patrick Lyell Clawson (born January 1, 1951) is an American economist and a leading expert on Iran's economy and nuclear program, specializing more broadly in Middle East policy, nuclear proliferation, economic sanctions, regional security, and U.S. foreign policy in the Near East. He has built a distinguished career spanning think tanks, international organizations, and government advisory roles. Since 2004, he has served as Director for Research at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP), a leading think tank on Middle East issues, where he oversees research initiatives and edits the Middle East Quarterly. He also holds the position of Morningstar Senior Fellow and directs the Viterbi Program on Iran and U.S. Policy at WINEP. Additionally, he directs the Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense University. Previously, he held positions as deputy director at WINEP and senior research fellow at the Institute for National Strategic Studies. Earlier in his career, he worked as an economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in the 1980s. Clawson is widely recognized for his analytical work on Iran's nuclear program and broader geopolitical dynamics, frequently contributing to policy debates through publications, testimonies before U.S. congressional committees, and advisory roles on national security matters. His expertise has positioned him as a key voice in neoconservative and pro-Israel policy networks, advocating for robust measures against adversarial states in the Middle East. He co-authored 'Eternal Iran: Continuity and Chaos' (2005).