MESA founded the International Journal of Middle East Studies in 1970. For the next thirty years, the journal defined its geographical area of interest as "Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, Israel, Pakistan, and the countries of the Arab world from the seventh century to modern times," plus Spain, Southeastern Europe, and the Soviet Union during "the periods in which their territories were part of Middle Eastern empires or were under the influence of Middle Eastern civilization."

Source: International Journal of Middle East Studies 1 (1970), inside front cover.