Advertise on podcast: The AL-Monitor Brief

Al-Monitor Brief host Adam Lucente goes over the start of US-Iran nuclear talks in Oman, highligting reactions from diplomatic correspondent Elizabeth Hagedorn, Israel Pulse head Rina Bassist, and Al-Monitor’s correspondent in Tehran.  Editor's note: This podcast was updated on February. 6, 2026 to include comments from US President Donald Trump on the negotiations.  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 Turkish efforts to host the US-Iran nuclear talks, which are now set to take place in Oman, and what type of deal Turkey would like to see. They also recap Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s trips to Saudi Arabia and Egypt and what they mean for regional rivalries. 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 Washington correspondents, Elizabeth Hagedorn and Jared Szuba, join host Adam Lucente to discuss the latest on US-Iran tensions, including the status of the negotiations, what a new nuclear deal might look like, the military options on the table and more. 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 breaks down the Coordination Framework’s nomination of Nouri al-Maliki to be the next prime minister of Iraq. He goes over what we learned from Maliki’s first stint as premier; the potential for him to secure the support necessary to return the office; and how the politician may approach relations with the US, Iran and the region. The episode features commentary from Iraq expert Tamer Badawi. Editor's note: This episode was updated on Jan. 27, 2026 to include comments from US President Donald Trump on Maliki's nomination. 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 his observations from this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, including how US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace is being received, progress in the Saudi mining push and more. 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 the latest events in Syria, where the military has made large advances in the Kurdish-held northeast. They discuss the Trump administration’s evolving priorities toward Syria, the potential for the most recent ceasefire to hold, and the future of Kurdish autonomy 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.

Host Adam Lucente speaks to Al-Monitor’s correspondents across the Middle East and in Washington about the protests in Iran, covering the options that are on the table for the Trump administration and how the region views the possibility of US strikes.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The author of the Al-Monitor Gulf newsletter, Francesco Schiavi, joins host Adam Lucente to discuss the latest events in Yemen. They cover the momentum shift in the conflict between the government and the Southern Transitional Council, whether the UAE will be able to maintain its influence in Yemen and the strengthening Saudi posture toward the country.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Host Adam Lucente interviews a number of Al-Monitor journalists on the US removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, as they dive into how the action could affect Hezbollah, Iran, the Gulf and the oil market. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.