The Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP) is a non-profit independent research group established in 1971, that publishes critical, alternative reporting and analysis, focusing on state power, political economy and social hierarchies as well as popular struggles and the role of US policy in the region.

[4] From 1995 until 2017 the executive director of MERIP and editor in chief of Middle East Report was Chris Toensing.

[5] From 2017 until 2019 the executive director was Steve Niva and from 2019 until 2024, the position was held by Mandy Terc.

[6] Since 2022 MERIP has entered into a partnership with the Institute for Arab and Islamic Studies at the University of Exeter whereby Exeter has agreed to house the positions of executive editor and managing editor.

In a press release, Pluto described their shared interests: "the mission of both organizations is to empower and educate people with alternative viewpoints on such a contested and important area of the world.