Middle East Focus

Hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj are joined by MEI Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow Amb. (ret.) Robert S. Ford to examine what is at stake for Iraq in the Iran war. The only country to have been hit by both sides, Iraq is caught in the middle of a regional conflict, with the local Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) carrying out attacks on American interests and personnel — and the US responding. This escalation comes at a period of internal political transition in Iraq, which has been locked in negotiations to form a new government since the November 2025 elections. Ford, who served as Deputy and later Acting Ambassador in Baghdad from 2008 until 2010, unpacks how Iraq is navigating the current moment, how the Kurdistan region fits into this equation, and what this all means for the future of US-Iraqi relations. This episode was recorded on the afternoon of April 7, 2026, before the US announced it had reached a temporary cease-fire with Iran.

This special episode of Middle East Focus features a conversation from MEI's Virtual Briefing Series. Host Alistair Taylor is joined by former National Security Council Senior Director Stephen Flanagan and MEI Senior Fellow Iulia-Sabina Joja to discuss the impacts of the Iran war on US-European relations. The conflict has hit Europe's economy hard and created deep divisions across the continent, even as some European countries play a quiet supporting role to the US. President Donald Trump has called for NATO member states to help secure shipping through the Iranian-blocked Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for international maritime trade. Flanagan and Joja explore the prospects for stepped-up European military involvement, the knock-on effects on the war in Ukraine, and the potential longer-term impact on the future of the US-European alliance. Watch the Virtual Briefing Series here. Recorded on March 31, 2026.

MEI Senior Fellow Jaser AbuMousa joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to unpack how Hamas is navigating the US-Israel conflict with Iran and its impact on Gaza. Nearly two and a half years after the start of the Gaza war, international attention has shifted away from the humanitarian crisis in the devastated coastal strip. Meanwhile, Hamas' primary state sponsor, Iran, has been severely weakened by US-Israeli military strikes and the death of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. AbuMousa examines how this could affect Hamas' trajectory moving forward and its place within the Axis of Resistance, as well as what it all means for the Palestinian people. Read Jaser's argument for why now is the time to focus on Gaza here, and his analysis of the power struggle within Hamas following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei here. Recorded on March 24, 2026.

Despite claiming they are poised to attack, the Yemeni Houthis have yet to join Iran and its other proxies in their fight against the United States and Israel. Hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj speak to MEI Associate Fellow Nadwa Al-Dawsari to unpack why the Houthis continue to stay on the sidelines of the Iran war and what might prompt them to join the fray. They also discuss the Houthis' evolving role within the Axis of Resistance, what the Yemeni group has learned from its earlier rounds of direct conflict with Israel and the US, as well as whether its actions could precipitate a renewed flareup in Yemen's civil war. Find Nadwa's analysis of why the Houthis have stayed out of the Iran war here. Recorded on March 17, 2026.

Nearly two weeks into the US and Israel's war with Iran, MEI Senior Fellow Gönül Tol joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to explore the impact of the widening regional conflict on Turkey. On March 9, Ankara announced that NATO air defenses shot down a second Iranian ballistic missile that had entered Turkish airspace since the start of the war and stated it would take all necessary defensive measures. Turkey is now caught in the middle of an escalating conflict that could pose risks to the country's security, economy, and foreign policy. Tol, Taylor, and Czekaj discuss what a prolonged regional conflict could mean for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, his regional political objectives, and Turkey's relationship with key Middle Eastern neighbors. Find Gönül's latest article on Turkey's position amid the Iran war here, and her explainer on what the war means for Turkey here. Recorded on March 11, 2026.

Hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj are joined by MEI Senior Fellow Fadi Nicholas Nassar to discuss Hizballah's role in the escalating conflict in the Middle East and the implications for Lebanon. A day after the United States and Israel launched a joint military campaign against Iran, Tehran's Lebanese proxy fired missiles at northern Israeli territory. Israel responded swiftly and forcefully, and Lebanon's government and population now fear the Iranian-backed militia is dragging the country back into war. The conversation explores the broader repercussions of Hizballah's actions against the backdrop of a widening war in Iran and Lebanon's quickly evolving political climate. Nassar also outlines recommendations for how Lebanon can move forward as a sovereign and effective state. Find Nick's recent article assessing the Lebanese authorities' actions to disarm Hizballah here. Recorded on March 4, 2026.

Against the backdrop of one of the largest US military deployments to the Middle East since 2003, MEI Senior Fellow Alex Vatanka joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to assess the situation inside Iran on the eve of potential war. Weeks after the Islamic Republic's brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters and as negotiations with the US fail to find common ground, Donald Trump is reportedly weighing options for military action against Iran. Vatanka breaks down the regime's strategic calculus, the current dynamics of Iran's opposition movement, and the likely domestic political consequences of a military strike. For more information, see Alex's co-authored article with Sanam Vakil on Iran's divided opposition here and his analysis of the regime's strategic calculus here. Recorded on February 24, 2026.

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.