by Middle East Institute
Weekly discussion of Middle East policy, arts, and culture, featuring experts from the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C.
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🇺🇲
Publishing Since
4/23/2021
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Phone Numbers
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April 24, 2025
<p>Following seven years of diplomatic deadlock, Washington and Tehran have resumed nuclear negotiations — and for the first time in years, there are signs of real momentum.</p> <p>Alex Vatanka, MEI Senior Fellow and author of The Battle of the Ayatollahs in Iran, joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to analyze the current round of talks, the technical issues under discussion, and the political stakes on both sides. He explores Iran’s economic and domestic pressures, US red lines, and the role of key players like Israel, China, and Oman in shaping the negotiations.</p> <p>The conversation also assesses what’s changed since the 2015 nuclear deal, and what it would take for this fragile opening to lead to something more lasting.</p> <p>Recorded on Tuesday, April 22, 2025</p> <p>For more context, read Alex Vatanka and Ross Harrison’s recent article, "<a href= "https://mei.edu/publications/thinking-unthinkable-improved-us-iran-relations-under-trump">Thinking the unthinkable: Improved US-Iran relations under Trump?</a>"</p> <p>Look out for new episodes of Middle East Focus every Thursday, wherever you get your podcasts.</p>
April 22, 2025
<p dir="ltr">In this episode of Taking the Edge off the Middle East, Brian Katulis sits down with Toni Verstandig, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs and current board member at the Middle East Institute. Three months into the second Trump administration, they assess how the White House is reshaping US policy in the Middle East—what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, and what risks lie ahead. Verstandig reflects on lessons from her years working on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process during the Clinton era, offering both poignant stories and policy insights from a time when diplomacy looked very different. They also discuss how think tanks like MEI are stepping up at a moment when institutions like USIP and the Wilson Center are under fire. </p> <p dir="ltr">Don’t forget to look out for new episodes of Taking the Edge off the Middle East on its own independent channel every other Tuesday, wherever you get your podcasts. </p> <p> </p>
April 17, 2025
<p>As Sudan’s civil war enters its third year, the humanitarian catastrophe continues to spiral, with more than 12.7 million people displaced and little hope of resolution in sight.</p> <p>Jehanne Henry, MEI Associate Fellow and former Africa Director at Human Rights Watch, joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to assess the latest developments on the ground. She outlines the scale of devastation, the regional spillover effects, and the war economy fueling the fighting.</p> <p>Their conversation explores the fragmentation of civilian political forces, the lack of international coordination, and the role that external powers — including the United States — could play in helping bring the conflict to an end. What will it take to chart a path toward peace?</p> <p>Recorded on Monday, April 15, 2025</p> <p>Read Jehanne's accompanying article:<br /> <strong><a href= "https://www.mei.edu/publications/two-years-sudans-war-seems-further-ever-resolution-can-us-involvement-help-peace" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mei.edu/publications/two-years-sudans-war-seems-further-ever-resolution-can-us-involvement-help-peace&source=gmail&ust=1744987859200000&usg=AOvVaw2ZbC8M-czuEPR0tPadpKmz"> Two years into Sudan’s war, a resolution seems further than ever — can U.S. involvement help bring peace?</a></strong></p> <p>Look out for new episodes of Middle East Focus every Thursday, wherever you get your podcasts.</p>
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