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Middle East Focus

Middle East Institute
Iran
United States
Israel
Middle East
Hamas
Middle East Institute
Syria
Turkey
Gaza
Saudi Arabia
Iraq
Lebanon
Egypt
Trump Administration
ISIS
Hezbollah
Democracy
Donald Trump
Gaza War
Qatar

Weekly discussion of Middle East policy, arts, and culture, featuring experts from the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes300Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNewsNews Commentary

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Artwork for Middle East Focus

Latest Episodes

Israel is preparing to hold what may be its most consequential election in decades. On October 27, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will face his first electoral test since October 7, 2023. In this bonus episode of Middle East Focus, we present the ... more

YouTube

Washington says it doesn't know who runs Iran. Tehran insists its leadership is united. MEI Senior Fellow Alex Vatanka joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to sort out where the truth lies. They look at the small circle of political and mil... more

YouTube

A year after world leaders gathered in Sharm el-Sheikh to mark the end of the war in Gaza, Israel controls about 70% of the Strip, Hamas retains its arms, and reconstruction has yet to begin. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, record settler violence and s... more

YouTube

On September 30, the US completed its military withdrawal from Iraq, ending a 12-year-long mission to combat ISIS that began in 2014. The date was also meant to be the deadline for disarming the largely Iranian-backed militias known as the Popular Mo... more

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Recent Guests

Tahani Mustafa
Associate fellow at MEI, visiting fellow at ECFR, and lecturer in international relations at King's College London.
Middle East Institute
Episode: Deadlock in Gaza and the West Bank at a Breaking Point
Robert S. Ford
MEI Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow, former US Ambassador
Middle East Institute
Episode: The Americans Are Gone. Will Iraq's Militias Disarm?
Colby Connelly
MEI Senior Fellow; Head of Middle East Content and Senior Analyst at Energy Intelligence
Middle East Institute; Energy Intelligence
Episode: Special Episode: Saudi Oil After the East-West Pipeline Attack
Yesar Al-Maleki
MEI affiliate and Gulf Analyst at MEIS; non-resident Senior Fellow at Atlantic Council
Middle East Institute; Middle East Economic Survey; Atlantic Council
Episode: Special Episode: Saudi Oil After the East-West Pipeline Attack
Intissar Fakir
Senior fellow at MEI researching North Africa and the Sahel
Middle East Institute
Episode: Old Rivals, New Alignments in North Africa
Nadwa Al-Dawsari
MEI associate fellow on Yemen and the region
Middle East Institute
Episode: How Far Can the Houthis Go?
Charles Lister
Senior fellow, MEI Syria Initiative; expert on Syria, terrorism, and insurgency
Middle East Institute
Episode: Syria: What You Missed
Alex Vatanka
Senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, specialist in Middle Eastern regional security with focus on Iran
Middle East Institute
Episode: Regional Escalation and the Fight Over Hormuz
Mohammed Mahmoud
CEO and founder of the Climate and Water Initiative; lead for MEI climate and water policy at UNU-INWEH
Climate and Water Initiative; United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health
Episode: Food Security in a Hotter, Drier North Africa

Hosts

Alistair Taylor
Host of Middle East Focus; Editor-in-chief of MEI's publication
Matthew Czekaj
Co-host on Middle East Focus; Managing Editor

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 163 ratings
  • Biased, even to listener critical of Israel

    I’m very critical of Israeli actions in Gaza. Unfortunately, Ms Mabrouk doesn’t contribute to our understanding or help us identify how we get to a Palestinian state. She was extremely biased, and MEI would better contribute to dialog by using a speaker who is able to describe a horrible situation but also suggest, in an unbiased way, pathways to stop Israeli bombing and achieve a Palestinian state. She lost a grand opportunity.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Ginsburl
    United Statesa year ago
  • Some excellent, some disappointing...

    This podcast has some very insightful and informative episodes. However, there are way too many episodes that have nothing to do with the Middle East. A recent episode on Democracy and the US elections was highly unbalanced. While I didn't disagree with some of the dangers highlighted by the interviewees, there was no alternative view. Guests' assertions were treated as facts.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    {amir59}
    United States2 years ago
  • Great pod with some great content but sadly not getting anything more than a 4 because of its tendency to be cluttered with handwringing Lefty idiocy.

    Podcast Addict
    4
    moquetUSA
    2 years ago
  • Perfect

    Podcast Addict
    5
    DaniDani
    4 years ago
  • Perfect

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Dani
    4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Balanced, informative deep dives with strong expert guests.
Audience encourages diverse voices but asks for broader regional representation.
Consistently high-quality sourcing and thoughtful analysis.
Perceived bias in some episodes around contentious policy issues.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#195
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#191
Italy/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#218
France/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#14
Saudi Arabia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#29
India/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#42
United Arab Emirates/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Deadlock in Gaza and the West Bank at a Breaking Point
Q: What role is there for the United States at all of this? So what could the US actually do to push forward a more positive situation with the Palestinian territories, with Israeli-Palestinian relations more broadly?
Mustafa says the United States has the greatest leverage over Israel and should apply serious diplomatic and economic pressure, potentially including sanctions and stopping arms sales, in accordance with international law.
Deadlock in Gaza and the West Bank at a Breaking Point
Q: Where do things stand in Gaza? What has and hasn't changed? What is daily life like?
Israel controls about 70 percent of the Strip and continues military operations. Aid access has improved from its worst levels, but food remains scarce, reconstruction has not begun, and conditions could rapidly deteriorate if access is cut.
Special Episode: Saudi Oil After the East-West Pipeline Attack
Q: How might regional actors respond to this crisis in terms of policy and infrastructure?
Regional actors are likely to invest in bypass pipelines, storage, and diversified export routes while pursuing diplomatic avenues to de-escalate tensions and restrain actor-driven disruptions.
Special Episode: Saudi Oil After the East-West Pipeline Attack
Q: Could the shuttling system be a long-term solution, or is it merely a crisis response?
The shuttle system is an adaptive crisis measure that helps move oil around the Strait of Hormuz while acknowledging it is not a sustainable long-term solution due to risk, capacity, and security concerns.
Special Episode: Saudi Oil After the East-West Pipeline Attack
Q: What does the disruption of the East-West pipeline mean for Saudi oil exports and the global market?
The pipeline disruption cuts off a large portion of Saudi crude exports, with potential 2.5 to 3 million barrels per day of capacity affected, underscoring the importance of alternative routes and the critical need for timely repairs and redundancy.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Middle East Focus

What is Middle East Focus about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program consistently centers policy analysis and regional dynamics in the Middle East, drawing on scholars and practitioners from a leading DC-based think tank. Episodes frequently dissect security dilemmas, diplomacy, energy markets, governance, and the geopolitics of key flashpoints—from Iran and Lebanon to Iraq, the Gulf, and North Africa—often through a policy lens that emphasizes US–regional relations, alliance management, and practical pathways toward stability. A standout feature is the reliance on high-caliber experts to unpack complex trade-offs, sanctions, and diplomatic sequencing, making the show a go-to for listeners who want thorough, data-informed context on contemporary Middle East affairs. The format typically blends r... more

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1. Hold Your Fire!
2. The Foreign Affairs Interview
3. Foreign Policy Live
4. Pekingology
5. Global Security Briefing

How many episodes of Middle East Focus are there?

Middle East Focus launched 9 years ago and published 300 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Middle East Focus?

Recent guests on Middle East Focus include:

1. Tahani Mustafa
2. Robert S. Ford
3. Colby Connelly
4. Yesar Al-Maleki
5. Intissar Fakir
6. Nadwa Al-Dawsari
7. Charles Lister
8. Alex Vatanka

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