Middle East Focus

Hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj are joined by MEI Senior Fellow Natan Sachs to discuss Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's February 11 visit to the White House, Israel's anxieties surrounding the ongoing US-Iran talks, and the domestic political dynamics Netanyahu is operating under. Taylor, Czekaj, and Sachs unpack what Netanyahu hoped to achieve during the visit, particularly regarding Iran, and what his relationship with President Donald Trump can tell us about the relative coordination and policy alignment between the US and Israel. They also examine Netanyahu's political standing at home, two and half years since the October 7 attacks, as the 2026 election campaign begins in Israel. Finally, Sachs assesses what lies ahead for Israeli politics. Recorded on February 17, 2026.

MEI Senior Fellow Mohammed Soliman joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to discuss his new book, West Asia: A New American Grand Strategy in the Middle East. The book argues that it is time for the United States to move decisively away from nation-building and focus instead on order-building, outlining a framework for a new regional order that links Europe to the Indo-Pacific. Soliman also shares how he conceived of the core ideas behind his book and explains why his thesis is especially relevant in today's geopolitical, economic, and technological landscape. Purchase your copy of West Asia here. Recorded on February 11, 2026.

Hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj are joined by MEI Distinguished Military Fellow Mick Mulroy to discuss the Trump administration's new National Defense Strategy (NDS) and its implications for the Middle East. While serving as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for the Middle East from 2017 to 2019, Mulroy helped prepare the 2018 NDS, giving him an insider perspective on US defense planning. Together, Taylor, Czekaj, and Mulroy unpack what the new strategy means for US priorities globally and for the Middle East in particular, including how it could be reflected in a potentially looming military strike on Iran. Recorded on February 4, 2026.

MEI Senior Fellow Lucy Kurtzer-Ellenbogen joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to discuss the latest developments in Gaza. Nearly four months after the Israeli government and Hamas agreed to President Donald Trump's 20-point plan, Washington has announced that phase two of the process is now underway. Kurtzer-Ellenbogen, Taylor, and Czekaj examine the humanitarian situation in the devastated coastal strip, assess what phase two could entail, break down how international actors are responding, and explore what would need to happen to realize the plan's aspirations. Recorded on January 27, 2026.

This bonus episode of Middle East Focus features an excerpt from a recent MEI Virtual Briefing recorded on January 20. Director of Communications Zeina Al-Shaib is joined by MEI Affiliate Fatima Abo Alasrar and Associate Fellow F. Gregory Gause III to discuss the dramatically changing dynamics in Yemen's civil war. Last month, Yemen emerged as a focal point of rising tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The Southern Transitional Council, a UAE-backed southern separatist movement, has disbanded in recent weeks, following fierce clashes with Saudi-backed forces. In the conversation, Alasrar and Gause analyze the political, security, and socio-economic shifts affecting Yemen's internal dynamics and what all this means for regional stability. Watch the Virtual Briefing Series here.

MEI Senior Fellow Charles Lister joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to unpack the latest developments in Syria, as a tenuous cease-fire takes hold after several days of intense fighting between the Syrian army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Their discussion explores the drivers of the conflict, the prospects for a lasting deal that would integrate the SDF into the Syrian military, as well as the role and perspective of key external actors, including the US, Turkey, and Israel. For more background on the Damascus-SDF conflict, please see Charles's recent article on the fighting in Aleppo in mid-January here. Recorded on January 20, 2026.

MEI Vice President for Policy Ken Pollack joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to explore what the precedent set by the Trump administration's military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro could mean for US policy in the Middle East — particularly in light of ongoing anti-regime protests in Iran. The conversation unpacks the reverberations of Operation Absolute Resolve, Washington's options for and potential consequences of responding to the Iranian regime's brutal crackdown, regional perceptions of recent US actions and stated objectives, and broader questions around the direction of the Trump administration's evolving grand strategy. Recorded on January 14, 2026.

This bonus episode of Middle East Focus features a conversation from MEI's Virtual Briefing Series. Director of Communications Zeina Al-Shaib is joined by Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow Alan Eyre and Senior Fellow Alex Vatanka to discuss the ongoing protests in Iran. The street demonstrations, sparked by the country's economic nosedive and at times turning violent, are the largest in three years. As regime arrests and killings of protesters have intensified, US President Donald Trump has threatened to intervene, his remarks potentially taking on a more vivid significance in light of the American military extraction over the weekend of Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro, an ally of Tehran. Eyre and Vatanka discuss what these latest developments mean for an Iranian regime already under intense internal and international pressure; the political impact of President Trump's threats; the limits of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's power to de-escalate the situation at home; and how the instability inside Iran may affect the wider region. Watch the Virtual Briefing Series here. Find Alex Vatanka's analysis of the latest wave of protests in Iran here. Recorded on January 7, 2026.

In the final episode of 2025, MEI Senior Fellow Paul Salem joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to unpack the major developments that shaped the Middle East over the past year and to look ahead to 2026. Salem reviews the key events that redefined the regional order, including President Donald Trump's return to office, the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, and the ongoing negotiations over Gaza. He assesses how the region has changed over the past year and what those shifts could mean moving forward. Read MEI scholars' reflections on the past year and what to expect in 2026 here. Recorded on December 16, 2025.

In this episode, MEI Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow Ambassador David Hale joins host Alistair Taylor to unpack the Trump administration's new National Security Strategy (NSS). Released on December 4, the document outlines the administration's foreign policy vision, priorities, and approach to global challenges. Ambassador Hale analyzes the new NSS and how it compares to previous US strategy documents. The conversation focuses on what the NSS means for the future of US policy in the Middle East, and how it is likely to be received by regional actors. Recorded on December 9, 2025.

MEI Senior Fellow Fadi Nicholas Nassar joins host Matthew Czekaj to share expert insights and personal reflections on Pope Leo XIV's trip to Lebanon from November 30 to December 2. Nassar unpacks the significance of the visit, part of the pontiff's first overseas tour since assuming office, and its potential impact on Lebanon's untenable status quo. The conversation explores key questions, including the ability of spiritual and moral authority to compensate for the shortcomings of political leadership as well as whether Lebanon's government will be able to capitalize on the momentum generated by this visit as the possible return of conflict looms on the horizon. Find Fadi Nicholas Nassar's recent book on the challenges and responsibilities of conflict resolution here. Recorded on December 3, 2025.

In this episode of Middle East Focus, hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj sit down with MEI Visiting Scholar F. Gregory Gause, III, to analyze the policy implications of Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud's (MBS) first visit to the US in seven years. What do US and Saudi officials hope to achieve from MBS's historic trip? Gause breaks down how the kingdom has changed under MBS's leadership and the prospects for a bilateral defense agreement between the US and Saudi Arabia. Gause also examines the evolving US-Saudi relationship and how the turbulent regional landscape is affecting Riyadh's foreign policy calculations. Recorded on November 18, 2025.

In this episode of Middle East Focus, hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj are joined by MEI Senior Fellow Charles Lister to unpack the historic November 10 meeting between US President Donald Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in the Oval Office as well as assess post-Assad Syria's evolution over the past year. Lister, who recently returned from Damascus, offers on-the-ground insights into the country's transition, the challenges of post-war recovery, and the prospects for lifting US sanctions under the Caesar Act. The conversation explores how the new Syrian government is balancing engagement with the United States and regional partners, its decision to join the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, and what these developments could mean for Syria's long-term stability and reintegration into the Middle East. Recorded on November 12, 2025. Read Charles Lister's recent reflection on how the US can best help Syria recover and rebuild, co-authored with General Joseph Votel, here.

In this episode of Middle East Focus, hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj are joined by MEI Senior Fellow Gönül Tol to discuss democratic backsliding in Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The conversation explores how Erdoğan's crackdown against Turkey's opposition has reached new heights, with Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and other opposition party officials facing politically motivated charges. At the same time, Erdoğan is attacking opposition media, deepening talks with Kurdish leaders, and strengthening ties with the West — all with, at least in part, an eye to extending his rule beyond 2028. Tol unpacks the government's strategy, the risks to Turkish democracy, and what Erdoğan's growing international prominence means for the country's political future. Recorded on November 4, 2025. Read Gönül Tol's analysis of how Erdoğan uses Turkey's role on the global stage to tighten his grip on power here. Listen to Rethinking Democracy here.

In this episode of Middle East Focus, hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj are joined by MEI Senior Fellow Intissar Fakir to discuss Morocco's recent "GenZ 212" protest movement, which gripped multiple cities around the country for weeks. What prompted young Moroccans to take to the streets? Fakir breaks down the underlying drivers, protesters' demands, and the government's response. The conversation then delves more deeply into Morocco's rising generation and how it perceives its future prospects. Finally, the discussion explores the possible longer-term political impact of the demonstrations, especially with an eye to next year's elections. Recorded on October 29, 2025. Read Intissar Fakir's analysis of the protests in Morocco here.

In this episode of Middle East Focus, hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj speak with MEI Senior Fellow Brian Katulis about US policy in the Middle East under Donald Trump’s second administration. Nine months into Trump 2.0, how much has really changed? Katulis breaks down the administration’s approach to ​major issues, including the cease-fire in Gaza and broader prospects for peace, the aftermath of the 12-Day War with Iran, and how Washington is managing ties with regional partners. He also previews his upcoming quarterly report card, which grades the administration on key policy areas. Recorded on October 22, 2025. Listen to Brian Katulis's podcast: Taking the Edge off the Middle East

Two years after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attacks and Israel’s devastating war in Gaza, the two sides have agreed to a new cease-fire. But can it last, and what kind of Middle East has emerged from the turmoil in the interim? In this episode of Middle East Focus, hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj speak with MEI Senior Fellow Paul Salem about how the conflict has reshaped the region’s geopolitical landscape, from Iran’s weakened deterrence and shifting attitudes toward Israel as a prospecitve security partner to the renewed centrality of American power and influence for regional countries. The conversation also explores President Trump’s Gaza peace plan and the uncertain path toward reconstruction, regional integration, and enduring stability in the aftermath of the war. Recorded on October 14, 2025. Read Paul Salem's recent article in Al Majalla: Two years after October 7: a region between disorder and transition

Two years after Hamas’ October 7 attack and Israel’s punishing response, both sides say they accept in principle President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to halt the war and chart a path toward enduring peace. MEI Senior Fellow Lucy Kurtzer-Ellenbogen joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to unpack what’s in the plan, how compatible it is with earlier Arab and European proposals, and whether its vague “credible pathway” to Palestinian statehood can withstand politics in Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Washington. They also explore the sticking points—Hamas disarmament, Israeli withdrawal, and Palestinian Authority reform—as well as what success would actually look like on the ground. This episode was recorded on October 7, 2025.

In this episode of Middle East Focus, hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj are joined by MEI Senior Fellow Mirette F. Mabrouk to unpack the growing tensions over the recently inaugurated Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Nile. With no water-sharing agreement with Ethiopia in place after decades of negotiations, what options remain for downstream Egypt and Sudan? The discussion explores the political, economic, and security stakes of the dispute, prospects for averting open conflict, and what the issue reveals about the shifting balance of power in the Horn of Africa. This episode was recorded on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.

Israel’s September 9 strike on Hamas leaders in Doha rattled Gulf capitals and revived a decades-old debate over whether the region needs a NATO-style defensive alliance. MEI Senior Fellow Jason Campbell joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to unpack why past attempts at collective defense have fallen short, whether this moment is different, and what the crisis means for US security strategy in the Middle East. This episode was recorded on September 24, 2025.