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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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