On the Middle East with Amberin Zaman

Elizabeth Hagedorn, Al-Monitor State Department Correspondent, and Andrew discuss the terrorist attacks in Israel; the Middle East reaction to the Ukraine war; the prospects for an Iran nuclear deal; and the wars in Yemen and Syria. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Abdulaziz Sager, chairman and founder of the Gulf Research Center, discusses the challenges to US-Saudi relations; why he does not necessarily expect an Iran nuclear deal to lead to progress in Yemen; why de-listing the IRGC as a terrorist group could embolden Iran in the region; how the Gulf is balancing relations among the US, Russia, and China; why a state solution remains Saudi Arabia’s approa...

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is set to have cascading effects in Syria, where the Kremlin has been propping up the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Faced with crippling sanctions and major setbacks in its campaign in Ukraine, Russia may soon be unable to devote the kind of resources to Syria that helped Assad wrest back huge chunks of rebel-held territory.  See Privacy Policy at ht...

Mark Fitzpatrick, Associate Fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, explains why the Iran nuclear agreement, while not ‘ideal’, remains a good one for the US, the region, and nuclear nonproliferation; why lifting the terrorist designation on the IRGC may be a ‘false issue’; why the remaining US citizens imprisoned in Iran should be part of the final package; and more. See...

Dimitri Simes, President and CEO of the Center for the National Interest and Publisher of its foreign policy magazine,  The National Interest , discusses the prospects for a diplomatic solution in Ukraine; the risks of miscalculation and escalation for both Russia and the West; why Russia’s stance on the JCPOA emboldens Tehran; how China could come out a winner from the crisis; and more!...

Samuel Charap, senior political Scientist at RAND Corporation and top expert on Russia and Ukraine, discusses Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Western response; what Russia learned, or didn’t learn, from Russia’s military intervention in Syria; what Putin expects from China, India and the Middle East; why Russia still backs an Iran nuclear deal; whether and when Russia might con...

The murder last month of a transgender woman in Iraqi Kurdistan by her brother in a so-called honor killing underlines the impunity faced by the LGBT community in Iraq’s Kurdistan region and beyond. Community activists say the government does nothing to protect them and that security officials who are responsible for their safety are among those who endorse violence against them. Zhiar Ali a leadi...

Dr. Volker Perthes, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Sudan, discusses the role of UN diplomacy, as well as the impact of the October 25, 2021 coup and the Ethiopian civilian war on Sudan’s transition. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Amy Myers Jaffe, Managing Director of the Climate Policy Lab at The Fletcher School at Tufts University, discusses the Gulf carbon-zero commitments; Egypt’s renewable energy ambitions; the geopolitics of hydrogen; the prospects for LNG markets; Iran, Russia and global oil prices; China’s role in the Middle East; and the prospects for nuclear power. Gulf rethinks climate diplomacy - Al-Mo...

As US led diplomacy fails to de-escalate tensions with Russia over Ukraine, Turkey with its drones and unequivocal support for Ukraine's territorial integrity is seen as a solid ally. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

HE Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi , Foreign Minister of the Sultanate of Oman, discusses Sultan Haitham’s Vision 2040; regional security and diplomacy including Iran, Yemen, Syria, the Abraham Accords, and GCC reconciliation; and the resilience of Omanis in dealing with COVID 19, and Cyclone Shaheen. Middle East economic outlook hinges on vaccinations - Al-Monitor: The Pulse of th...

Janine di Giovanni, award winning journalist and Senior Fellow and Professor at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, discusses her book,  The Vanishing: Faith Loss and the Twilight of Christianity in the Land of the Prophets , her own journey of faith as a journalist covering conflict in the Middle East, and the resilience of Christian communities throughout the region...

Bijan Khajehpour, managing partner at Eurasian Nexus Partners and Al-Monitor columnist, explains how Iran’s economic potential, and the prospects for foreign investment, depend on sanctions relief which would result from a nuclear deal; Raisi’s progress on COVID vaccinations; Iran’s relationships with Russia and China; and an update on Siamak Namazi, unjustly detained six years in Iran. https://am...

The Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq has sealed a critical border crossing to the US protected and Kurdish governed zone in northeast Syria over a violent clash between a Syrian Kurdish youth organization and Iraqi Kurdish border forces. The closure has interrupted the flow of aid to the region as northeast Syria grapples with the effects of US sanctions against the Syrian regime, and of the...

Libya was supposed to hold elections on December 24 that were meant to help the war wracked North African nation move on the path of stability and national reconciliation. But continued rivalries between numerous factions exacerbated by foreign meddling forced a cancellation. North Africa expert Jalel Harchaoui describes what's at stake. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/priva...

Sanam Vakil, deputy director of the Middle East North Africa programme at Chatham House, assesses the Iranian nuclear talks, including the roles of Russia, China, and Israel; Iran’s long game in Iraq and Yemen; the prospects for regional security in the Gulf; how Iran is managing the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan; and more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Californi...

Gilles Kepel, who accompanied Macron to the Gulf, explains the impact of the French President’s visit to the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, including his meetings with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and other Gulf leaders; the background to the $18 billion sale of French warplanes to the UAE; how the region is adapting to the Abraham Accords, economic and energy transitions, and t...

Turkey is undergoing one of the most unpredictable periods in its modern history amid mounting concern over President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's shift towards authoritarianism. His poll ratings are sagging with rising inflation and the continued depreciation of the lira stemming from Erdogan's insistence on keeping interest rates low. With elections due in 2023, many wonder whether Erdogan, fearing th...

Michael Kofman, director of the CNA Russia research program, explains how Russia approaches the Iran nuclear talks; why Moscow considers Syria a remarkable and cheap success; whether Turkey and Russia can manage differences in Ukraine and elsewhere; and why Belarus and Ukraine remain key flashpoints in US-Russia relations.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California P...

Amberin Zaman, senior correspondent for Al-Monitor, discusses her reporting from northeastern Syria, including the devastating effect of the worst drought in seven decades; why SDF leader Mazloum Kobane doesn’t expect a Turkish attack, but is disappointed by US policy on Syria; how increasing tensions between Turkey and Russia over Ukraine could impact Syria; the tragedy of Syria’s...

Jim Jeffrey former US ambassador to Turkey and Iraq and the Trump Administration’s top Syria envoy has been sharply criticized for his alleged role in greenlighting Turkey’s 2019 invasion of northeast Syria which displaced hundreds of thousands of people and led to horrific rights abuses by Turkish backed opposition rebels. Jeffrey has unique insight into Ankara’s thinking and whether one agrees w...

Noor Sweid, General Partner at Global Ventures, discusses how the Middle East and North Africa region has become a global tech and innovation hub; why a young MENA population will continue to drive and demand change, including for clean energy technologies; how MENA benefits and learns from trends in the Global South, Asia and the West ; and more! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/priva...

Al-Monitor columnist Ben Caspit explains why the Israeli budget vote this week; whether Netanyahu still has a chance at a comeback; why another Gaza war is a matter of when, not if; and why Israeli leaders are worried and disappointed by the US approach to Iran. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Al-Monitor columnist Daoud Kuttab says that Jerusalem and settlements remain the big issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; why Hamas is gaining in popularity; how Palestinian President Mahmoud is managed the consequences of the Abraham Accords and thinking about his legacy and succession;  and why we may see more Palestinian protests in the coming year. See Privacy Policy at h...

US Turkish relations remain on life support with Turkey's refusal to relinquish Russian made S 400 missiles. Turkey could face further US sanctions if Turkish president Erdogan acts on his talk about buying more Russian equipment. Turkey analyst Alan Makovsky believes this could lead to final rupture between Turkey and the NATO alliance. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Californ...