Middle East Focus Author: Middle East Institute Weekly discussion of Middle East policy, arts, and culture, featuring experts from the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C. Be a guest on this podcast Language: en Genres: News, News Commentary, Politics Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Get all podcast data

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What 2025 Has Wrought... and What 2026 May Bring
Thursday, 18 December, 2025

In the final episode of 2025, MEI Senior Fellow Paul Salem joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to unpack the major developments that shaped the Middle East over the past year and to look ahead to 2026. Salem reviews the key events that redefined the regional order, including President Donald Trump's return to office, the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, and the ongoing negotiations over Gaza. He assesses how the region has changed over the past year and what those shifts could mean moving forward.   Read MEI scholars' reflections on the past year and what to expect in 2026 here.   Recorded on December 16, 2025.

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