On the Middle East with Amberin Zaman

Al-Monitor Columnist Semih Idiz discusses why Turkish-pro government media has made former Vice President Joe Biden an ‘object of anger’; why Turkey is escalating the diplomatic fight with Europe over offensive cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad; Russia-Turkey relations; and Turkey’s interests and objectives in Libya, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Syria. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and C...

Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa at the Council on Foreign Relations, discusses why the US needs to stay in the Middle East, but with a bit more realism; how to contain Iran; his personal observations and assessment of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan; and why the US needs a new embassy in Iraq.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy...

Al-Monitor contributor Sebastian Castelier discusses how the Gulf states balance their ties with both the US and China; why the GCC may prefer a Trump victory in the US presidential election; the impact of the Gulf economic downturn on migrant workers; the potential and limits of Israel’s normalization agreements with the UAE and Bahrain; the ‘lost opportunity’ of the GCC rail project, a...

Former US Ambassador Ryan Crocker says the US should keep its embassy open and stay the course backing Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi; explains why he supports former Vice President Joe Biden for president; assesses the benefits and impact of Israel’s normalization agreements with the UAE and Bahrain; and discusses US policy toward Syria and Iran, as well as how diplomacy has changed over...

Dr. Alanoud Alsharekh, director of Ibtkar Strategic Consultancy, discusses the impact of the late Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on Kuwait and the region; what we can expect from the new Emir, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah; trends in Kuwait and the region toward women, youth, and independents becoming more engaged in politics; and the progress of campaigns to combat domestic violen...

US Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) makes the case for a Biden foreign policy in the Middle East; discusses the Trump Administration’s policies toward Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, and the Israel normalization deals with Bahrain and the UAE; and explains how, in his view, Russia and China have been gaining at the expense of the US in the region. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and...

Al-Monitor contributor Afif Abu Much, an Arab citizen of Israel and tech entrepreneur, says that there is optimism that the peace deals could open doors to the Arab world that have until now been closed. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Max Suchkov, Senior Fellow at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, discusses Russia’s Syria strategy, Iran-Russia ties, and why Moscow has low expectations for US-Russia relations after the US presidential election. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Al-Monitor Associate Editor Dr. Ali Al-Mamouri discusses the situation in Iraq, Prime Minster Mustafa Al-Kadhimi’s reform agenda, the evolution of the Iraqi protest movement, the US troop presence in Iraq, and Iraq’s regional policies, including Iraq’s relationship with Iran.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sel...

Ron Dermer, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, and a close adviser to Prime Minister Netanyahu, talks about the normalization agreement with the UAE and what comes next, the prospects for negotiations with the Palestinians, the US sale of F-35 fighter aircraft to the UAE, the threat from Iran and what would make a successful nuclear agreement, and US-Israel relations and the US preside...

CNBC News Anchor and International Correspondent Hadley Gamble discusses what Lebanon’s creditors may be thinking; the future of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s Vison 2030; her career covering the Middle East; the impact of the #metoo for women journalists, and more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell...

Mina Al-Oraibi, editor of The National, on her personal and professional observations on Iraq; the UAE’s successes in managing the COVID-19 crisis, as well as the pandemic’s likely long-term impact; the UAE mission to Mars; and the challenges of digital journalism in the Middle East. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-s...

Emirati columnist and researcher Sultan Al-Qassemi, founder of the Barjeel Art Foundation, discusses the impact of political events on contemporary Arab art; the role and recognition of women artists; trends in Iraqi, Palestinian, and Gulf art; the vibrant UAE art scene, and more! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com...

Elissa Slotkin, US Representative from Michigan and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, discusses the threat from Russia to US interests in the Middle East and worldwide; the US-Israel partnership and differences on annexation; why Congress matters on the use of force in the Middle East; US policy toward Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Turkey; and why you can’t separate national security...

Al-Monitor columnist and author Cengiz Candar discusses Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erodgan, the Hagia Sofia, the Kurds, Turkey’s Syria Quagmire, his new book, and more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Hook, the Trump Administration’s top official on Iran, talks about the prospects for further prisoner exchanges and diplomacy with Iran; the threat from Iran’s nuclear programs; whether the US can sustain the UN-imposed arms embargo on Iran; and why iran is again at the top of the State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Calif...

Danny Danon, permanent representative of Israel to the United Nations, and Riyad Mansour, permanent observer of Palestine to the United Nations, talk about the prospects for annexation, the extension of Israeli sovereignty over Jewish settlements in the West Bank, the potential reaction in the region, the Trump Administration’s peace plan, and the prospects for resumed direct Israel-Palestinian ta...

HE Meshal Al-Thani, Qatar’s ambassador to the United States, talks about the prospects for reconciliation with Qatar’s neighbors; US-Qatar relations; Israeli-Palestinian issues; Iran, plans for the World Cup, and how his country is managing with COVID-19. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Al-Monitor senior correspondent Amberin Zaman explains the background to the Kurdish question in Syria, US-Turkey relations, and what to expect next in the now nine-year war, as well as observations and advice for young journalists covering conflict and the Middle East. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Renowned scholar Gilles Kepel discusses his latest book and the trends and new fault lines that are shaping the region, including the impact of COVID-19, falling oil prices, political Islam, and the fallout of what was called the Arab Spring in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Syria, Saudi Arabia and the region. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.c...

HE Yousef Al-Otaiba, the UAE Ambassador to the United States, discusses how the UAE is managing the coronavirus pandemic; lessons being learned for governance in the post-COVID19 Middle East; Iran; Yemen, Syria; Libya; Qatar; Israeli-Palestinian issues; and more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The former Secretary of Defense explains how his relationship with Sisi helped steady  US-Egypt ties  after the 2013 coup, why he is backing  Joe Biden  for president, whether the  US should stay in Iraq , and more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Andrew Parasiliti discusses developments in Israel with Al-Monitor Israel correspondent Ben Caspit, including what to expect from the new emergency government; whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will proceed with annexation of Jewish settlements in the West Bank; Netanyahu’s relationships with US President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden; what to expect fr...

Andrew Parasiliti, president of the award-winning news site Al-Monitor, interviews newsmakers each week from the US and Middle East about the latest news and trends in the region, with additional commentary from Al-Monitor’s ‘on-the-ground’ correspondents. Andrew has been writing about, and traveling in, the Middle East for over three decades, meeting and interviewing the region’s top politic...