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
Newest firstAll episodes
What Washington left on the negotiating table | feat. Rep. Max Miller (R-OH)
Jun 2400:25:07Tap to summarizeHeadlines:Saudi media reported that Hamas leaders recently met with French officials on an undisclosed date in an unspecified location in the Middle East. Really informative, right? So now, for something more specific. This is the first reported meeting between Hamas and European officials since October 7.Turkey just concluded joint military drills with Qatari land forces.Iran and Oman agreed to form a joint working group to keep talks going on the future of the Strait of Hormuz.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Rep. Max Miller (R-OH).Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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The U.S. and Iran's diplomatic dance | feat. Eli Lake and Janatan Sayeh
Jun 2200:28:59Tap to summarizeFDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer hosts a special SITREP featuring the Free Press columnist Eli Lake and FDD expert Janatan Sayeh.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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Does the MOU play Strait into Tehran's hands? | feat. Bernard Haykel and Jonathan Hessen
Jun 1900:28:41Tap to summarizeDoes the MOU play Strait into Tehran's hands? | feat. Bernard Haykel and Jonathan HessenFDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer hosts a special SITREP featuring FDD experts Bernard Haykel and Jonathan Hessen.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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Ankara's media shadow war | feat. Eitan Fischberger
Jun 1700:28:44Tap to summarizeHeadlines:President Trump suggested that Syria should fight Hezbollah instead of Israel.Sources told the Wall Street Journal that the U.S. is going to allow Iran to begin selling oil and fuel as soon as the ceasefire deal is signed.France and Britain are planning to deploy a multinational coalition to the Strait of Hormuz if and when the ceasefire with Iran comes into effect.We spend a lot of time talking about war in the Middle East, but don’t forget that there’s a brutal civil war ravaging Sudan. Foreign powers have gotten involved on both sides — and Iran is one of them.--FDD Turkey Program Director Sinan Ciddi fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, providing timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation with Middle East analyst Eitan Fischberger.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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The Iran ceasefire fallacy | feat. Haviv Rettig Gur
Jun 1500:27:05Tap to summarizeFDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Haviv Rettig Gur, host of the Ask Haviv Anything podcast and Middle East Analyst at The Free Press.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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Is this a done deal? | feat. Miad Maleki, Ahmad Sharawi, and Bradley Bowman
Jun 1200:27:47Tap to summarizeFDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer hosts a special SITREP episode of the FDD Morning Brief featuring FDD experts Miad Maleki, Bradley Bowman, and Ahmad Sharawi.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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The Ceasefire War | feat. Lt. Col. (Ret.) Conricus, RADM (Ret.) Montgomery, and Behnam Ben Taleblu
Jun 1000:27:23Tap to summarizeFDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer hosts a special SITREP featuring FDD experts Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus, RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, and Behnam Ben Taleblu.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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How the IRGC engineered its own survival | feat. Rafaela Siewert
Jun 800:28:45Tap to summarizeHeadlines:Yesterday, Iran launched missiles at Israel for the first time since the April ceasefire took effect.President Trump urged Netanyahu not to strike back at Iran — to no avail. Israel doubles down on its efforts to disarm Hamas in Gaza.--FDD Research Analyst Mariam Wahba fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, providing timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation with Rafaela Siewert of The Free Press.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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Qatar's $400 billion grip on America | feat. Natalie Ecanow
Jun 500:29:25Tap to summarizeHeadlines:The duplicitous, conniving, and corrupt state of Qatar is going to provide 6 billion dollars to Iran’s collapsing economy.The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, is going to pack up and go home come December 31st.Yesterday, Hezbollah rejected the latest ceasefire agreement, despite both the Israeli and Lebanese governments agreeing to move forward.The rump of the Islamic Republic has been hyping a statement supposedly issued by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei claiming that Tehran has dealt the U.S. and Israel a quote, “decisive blow,” and that both countries have been deeply humiliated. That’s pretty rich coming from a man who hasn’t been seen since the first day of the war. Except in the form of a cardboard cutout or an AI rendering.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Senior Research Analyst Natalie Ecanow.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbriefTo read Natalie's latest memo on Qatari influence, please visit: https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/06/03/mapping-qatars-400-billion-footprint-in-the-united-states/
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Where does Europe stand on Iran? | feat. Simone Rodan-Benzaquen
Jun 300:27:14Tap to summarizeHeadlines:US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Israel and Hezbollah agreed to stop shooting — basically, a sort-of ceasefire under which Israel would stop striking Beirut and Hezbollah would stop attacking Israel. However, to no one’s surprise, the shooting has continued.The Iranian regime is planning a three-day funeral for the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which will reportedly take place in mid-June.Bahrain banned its citizens from traveling to Iran and Iraq for somewhat obvious security concerns.Another round of Iran sanctions hit the books yesterday. This time, Treasury targeted Iran’s digital asset exchanges and their leaders for helping the IRGC access the international financial system and evade U.S. sanctions.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation withSimone Rodan-Benzaquen, FDD's senior envoy for Europe.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
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