Podcast
FDD Morning Brief
Hosted by FDD · EN
The Middle East never stops moving. Neither does the FDD Morning Brief.
Three mornings a week, FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer cuts through the noise with the experts who have spent their careers studying, shaping, and living the region’s most consequential moments. All before your morning coffee gets cold.
72episodes
Episodes
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Testing the waters of Hormuz | feat. Behnam Ben Taleblu
3w ago00:28:13Tap to summarizeHeadlines:The Israelis were forced to activate their air defenses on Saturday night as an Iranian missile hurtled toward Aqaba, the southern Jordanian city that is nestled right next to the Israeli city of Eilat.Two Iranians were hanged over the weekend for anti-government protests and activities. The Wall Street Journal reports that the ceasefire between the Islamic Republic and the United States enabled the regime to get a bunch of its oil out onto the open market. --FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with FDD Iran Program Senior Director Behnam Ben Taleblu.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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Britain's belated reckoning with the IRGC | feat. Robin Simcox
4w ago00:28:30Tap to summarizeHeadlines:The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned seven companies and individuals that are part of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ weapons procurement network. Iran instructed the Houthis in Yemen to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if the U.S. strikes Iranian power infrastructure.Syrian authorities thwarted an attempt to smuggle arms from Iraq through Syria and onward to Hezbollah in Lebanon. President Trump announced the release of a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen from the Islamic Republic almost two years after she was detained. --FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with former UK Commissioner for Countering Extremism Robin Simcox.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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Lebanon's Sisyphean struggle with Hezbollah | feat. Hagar Chemali
4w ago00:28:45Tap to summarizeHeadlines:The regime in Iran publicly hanged two people accused of membership to the Islamic State. Yes, you got that right. The world’s most prolific state sponsor of terrorism is punishing, uh, terrorists.President Donald Trump hosted Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House yesterday. Lebanon and Israel have resumed talks over in Rome. This is the sixth round of direct talks, but the first since the two sides signed a framework agreement last month.--FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with foreign policy expert and "Oh My World!" host Hagar Chemali.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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The fire that barely ceased | feat. Miad Maleki
Jul 1300:27:13Tap to summarizeHeadlines:Sad news on Sunday morning. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina passed away following a brief illness after returning from a trip to Ukraine.Iraqi prime minister Ali al-Zaidi is due in Washington today for high level talks with the Trump Administration.Channel 12 in Israel released the contents of a handwritten letter penned in 2022 by none other than Yahya Sinwar.--FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with FDD Senior Fellow Miad Maleki.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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Inside Israel's Operation Arnon | feat. Hannah Puder
Jul 1000:24:48Tap to summarizeFDD Senior Fellow Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, providing timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation with documentary filmmaker and "Operation Arnon" producer Hannah Puder.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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Axis of Aggressors and NATO's path forward | feat. Cam McMillan
Jul 800:30:38Tap to summarizeBradley Bowman, senior director of FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP), fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, providing timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation with CMPP Senior Research Analyst Cam McMillan.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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What to watch at the NATO summit | feat. Celeste Wallander
Jul 600:33:49Tap to summarizeRADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, senior director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation (CCTI), fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, providing timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation with Celeste Wallander, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs of the United States.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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Lebanon's 14-point path to sovereignty | feat. Ahmad Sharawi
Jul 100:27:12Tap to summarizeHeadlines:Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is giving the Iran-backed Iraqi militias until September 30 to give up their weapons.Iraq and Syria agreed on Monday to strengthen cooperation across a number of sectors, including energy and border security, but also water, agricultuare and transport.Israeli forces eliminated three senior Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives in Gaza.The International Monetary Fund reached an agreement with Egypt that could unlock over $1.6 billion for the country.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Senior Research Analyst Ahmad Sharawi.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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The jet engine deal fueling Turkey's NATO moment | feat. Steven A. Cook
Jun 2900:26:28Tap to summarizeHeadlines:Israel and Lebanon, under the auspices of the United States have entered into a new diplomatic agreement.Reports out of Israel suggest that Hamas may be making some sort of a comeback.Egypt and Iran played soccer against eachother on Friday in Seattle. That’s not really news. The World Cup match, which ended in a 1-1 draw was overshadowed by the fact that both countries were outraged that their game was designated as a Pride Match.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Steven A. Cook, Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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The proxy that hasn't barked (yet) | feat. Edmund Fitton-Brown
Jun 2600:28:26Tap to summarizeHeadlines:Remember the Gaza Board of Peace? Yeah. It’s been pretty quiet lately. Well, presentatives from the Board are planning to meet in Cyprus next week.OPEC, the oil cartel for oil-producing nations, is in danger of losing another member.Secretary of State Marco Rubio just wrapped up a three-day tour of the Gulf.Confusion continues over the state of affairs in Lebanon.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Senior Fellow Edmund Fitton-Brown.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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