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Middle East Focus

Middle East Focus

Written by: Middle East Institute
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 Weekly discussion of Middle East policy, arts, and culture, featuring experts from the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C. Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Bonus Episode: Tehran's Brewing Troubles

    Bonus Episode: Tehran's Brewing Troubles
    Jan 8 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.
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • What 2025 Has Wrought... and What 2026 May Bring

    What 2025 Has Wrought... and What 2026 May Bring
    Dec 18 2025
    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.
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    44 mins
  • What does Trump's new National Security Strategy mean for the Middle East?

    What does Trump's new National Security Strategy mean for the Middle East?
    Dec 11 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.
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    41 mins
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