Host Adam Lucente interviews several correspondents and editors across the region about the major stories that defined 2025 in the Middle East. The team also looks at what may come in 2026, with protests in Iran, UAE-Saudi tensions in Yemen, the fight against ISIS and a number of other situations heating up as the new year approaches. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor’s business correspondents, Sam Wendel and Jack Dutton, join host Adam Lucente to discuss how the Middle East economy fared in 2025, including rising competition over AI, why startups raised more money, the prospects for a return to normalcy in global shipping and a number of energy developments. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor’s correspondent in Ankara, Ezgi Akin, joins host Adam Lucente to discuss Turkey’s 2025, including progression in peace talks with Kurdish groups, domestic challenges to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, questions about the Turkish position toward Syria and geopolitical competition in the Eastern Mediterranean. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor contributor Danny Makki joins host Adam Lucente from Damascus to discuss the US' repeal of the Caesar Act, a law which placed a number of sanctions on Syria over the deposed Assad’s regime conduct in the civil war. Makki describes the optimism in the Syrian business community following the vote, the remaining challenges on the country’s road to recovery, and whether the new government will be able to meet the Trump administration’s political and security expectations.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor’s newsletter and content editor, Gabrielle Debinski, joins host Adam Lucente to offer takeaways from the Hanukkah attack in Australia, including the domestic debate over how to tackle rising antisemitism, the deterioration of Israel-Australia ties, and ISIS’ history of attacks in the country. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor’s Israel Pulse columnist, Ben Caspit, joins host Adam Lucente to preview the upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They cover Israel’s options after determining the damage done to Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities during the June war was not as extensive as previously thought; the disagreements between Israel and the US over Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria; the options facing Hamas short of a full disarmament; and why Israel is up in arms over the potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey and Saudi Arabia.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor’s chief business correspondent, Jack Dutton, joins host Adam Lucente to discuss Gulf sovereign funds’ participation in Paramount Skydance Corporation’s bid to complete a hostile takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. They cover why regional entities view US entertainment as a strong investment; whether the move indicates strategic cooperation between Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE; and how US President Donald Trump’s national security strategy could influence the outcome. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor host Adam Lucente interviews a number of Al-Monitor journalists on US President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting the Muslim Brotherhood, covering how affiliates in Lebanon, Israel, Jordan and Egypt will be affected; how divisions within the Trump administration influenced the decision; and how regional states view the move. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor’s senior news editor, Joyce Karam, joins host Adam Lucente to discuss Israel’s killing of Hezbollah military commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai, including the changing nature of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, the limits of diplomatic efforts to solve the crisis, and why a new war is not a given.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor’s chief correspondent, Amberin Zaman, joins host Adam Lucente for a dispatch from the Middle East Peace & Security Forum in the Iraqi Kurdistan city of Dahuk. Listen as they discuss what Syrian Democratic Forces commander Mazlum Kobane’s participation at the forum means for Kurdish unity amid negotiations with the new government in Syria, Turkey’s view towards its dialogue with Kurdish groups, and how Iraqi Kurdish parties may choose to exercise their leverage in deliberations over a new prime minister. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor’s Pentagon correspondent, Jared Szuba, joins host Adam Lucente to discuss US President Donald Trump’s pledge to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia during a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, including what such a deal would mean for the balance of power in the Middle East, why the kingdom wants the jets now, potential challenges in getting the sale to materialize, and how regional states might respond. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor’s senior market research analyst, Samuel Wendel, joins host Adam Lucente to preview Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s trip to the White House. Listen as they delve into the reasons past deals on AI and chips have yet to materialize, whether President Donald Trump will be able to convince the royal to inject more investment into the US, and how low oil prices are affecting relations between the two men.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor’s State Department correspondent, Elizabeth Hagedorn, joins host Adam Lucente to discuss Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House, including the progress made towards a full repeal of the Caesar Act sanctions, the potential for an Israel-Syria security deal, and why Trump is so keen on welcoming the Syrian leader into the fold.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor’s correspondent in Beirut, Beatrice Farhat, joins host Adam Lucente to discuss Hezbollah’s letter declaring their rejection of negotiations with Israel, including the mounting pressure the Iran-backed group is under, why Lebanon’s government is likely to push on with the disarmament plan, the recent flurry of diplomatic activity in Beirut, and the reasons a new conflict with Israel is growing more likely.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor Brief host Adam Lucente previews the Nov. 11 Iraqi parliamentary elections, including growing divisions among Shiite parties, the issues voters are most concerned about, and how the result might affect Iraq’s relations with Iran, the US and the region.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor news reporter Rosaleen Carroll joins host Adam Lucente to discuss Chinese Vice President Han Zheng’s visit to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait this week, plus his upcoming trip to Qatar for the Second World Summit for Social Development. Listen as they delve into China’s focus on Saudi Arabia’s renewable energy and AI sectors, why Riyadh is reluctant to pursue a free trade deal with Beijing and what to expect from Han’s trip to Doha. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor’s chief business correspondent, Jack Dutton, joins host Adam Lucente to discuss Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s trip to Saudi Arabia for the FII Conference, including Syria’s progress in modernizing its economy, whether Western firms will back up their interest with actual investment, and why the kingdom is keen on taking the lead on the country’s development.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor’s Elizabeth Hagedorn, Rina Bassist and Daoud Kuttab join host Adam Lucente to discuss the state of the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, including the latest on post-war governance plans for the Palestinian enclave, the alleged violations of the truce, and potential repercussions from the Trump administration on both parties.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor’s chief correspondent, Amberin Zaman, joins host Adam Lucente to discuss her recent trip to Syria, including observations on the state of the Syrian economy amid continued sanctions, the rate of progress towards integrating the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces into the new army following recent clashes in Aleppo, and the government’s crackdown on French and other foreign jihadists.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al-Monitor contributor Barin Kayaoglu joins host Adam Lucente to discuss the recent water agreement between Turkey and Iraq, including the national security reasons Ankara wants to help the Iraqi government with its water shortages, whether Baghdad is satisfied with the flows from its northern neighbor and the possibility of bringing Syria’s transitional government into the negotiations. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.