Podcast
A Conversation with Leila Bazzi
Hosted by Leila Bazzi · EN
A weekly conversation with Leila Bazzi, where insight meets analysis on the most pressing issues shaping the Middle East and beyond. In each episode, Bazzi sits down with leading voices—from policymakers and analysts to journalists and regional experts—to unpack what’s really happening across the region.
The podcast goes beyond the headlines, offering in-depth discussions on geopolitics, conflict dynamics, power shifts, and the forces driving change in the Middle East. With sharp editorial perspective and informed dialogue, each episode delivers clarity, context, and credible reporting in a fast-moving news environment.
From breaking developments to long-term trends, this is a space for thoughtful conversation, diverse perspectives, and a deeper understanding of the stories that matter most.
2episodes
Episodes
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China, Taiwan, and the Middle East— A Conversation with Matt Pottinger
Jun 400:28:21Tap to summarizeMatt Pottinger redefined how Washington approaches China. Speaking with MBN Alhurra's Min Mitchell and Editor-in-Chief Leila Bazzi, he argues that this year's war with Iran exposed Beijing as an unreliable partner for the Gulf— the same power that helped arm the regime attacking its neighbors. He weighs the risks of the new Trump-Xi "détente," why Gulf states are right to route around the Strait of Hormuz, and the dangers of importing Chinese surveillance technology. Pottinger served as Deputy National Security Advisor under President Trump and now chairs the China Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.Hosts: Leila Bazzi, Editor-in-Chief, MBN Alhurra | Min Mitchell, China Editor, MBNGuest: Matt Pottinger, Former Deputy National Security Advisor | China Program Chairman at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
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Are We Losing Control of Nuclear Weapons?
Apr 2900:33:53Tap to summarizeFor more than half a century, the world has relied on one system to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons: the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).Today, that system is under unprecedented strain.With no binding limits on major nuclear powers, rising global tensions, and growing uncertainty around Iran’s nuclear program, the question is no longer whether the system is being tested—but whether it can still hold.In this conversation, Leila Bazzi MBN Editor in chief sits down with Henry Sokolski, Executive Director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center and former U.S. Deputy for Nonproliferation Policy, to unpack:Is the global nuclear system breaking down?How close is Iran to a nuclear weapon—and do we even know?Why inspections and safeguards may no longer be enoughThe double standard at the heart of the nuclear orderWhat the upcoming NPT Review Conference could (or won’t) achieve
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