Priyanka Debnath

In this episode of Taking the Edge Off the Middle East, host Brian Katulis sits down with Fahad Nazer, spokesperson for the Saudi Arabian Embassy in the US, to discuss the evolving US-Saudi relationship amid unprecedented regional volatility. Central to their conversation is the deepening crisis in Gaza, emphasizing the urgent need for sustained US-Saudi cooperation and broader international engagement to address the humanitarian catastrophe and prevent further regional escalation.

Hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj speak with MEI Senior Fellow Mohammed Soliman about President Donald Trump’s recent trip to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, which yielded a wave of major US-Gulf tech and AI deals. Soliman explains how these partnerships mark a shift in the relationship—from oil and arms to compute power and data infrastructure—and what it means for the Gulf’s strategic role in the global AI ecosystem.

The harsh realities of the region’s threats and challenges, like Iran and the Gaza war, stubbornly persist following the pomp and circumstance of Trump’s “spring bling” tour, which featured eye-popping dollar figures and an offer of a luxury jumbo jet from Qatar.

Ambassador Dennis Ross joins host Brian Katulis to break down what President Trump’s recent trip through Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar revealed about the administration’s approach to foreign policy in the Middle East—and what it means for the future of the region. They discuss the significance and substance behind the announced mega-deals, what’s really going on with Iran and the Houthi ceasefire, and how Trump is handling relations with Israel amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

MEI Senior Fellow Iulia Joja delivers a sharp and timely warning against Russia being offered a direct role in US-Iran negotiations. Far from acting as a neutral broker, Moscow wants to leverage this moment to reshape the balance of power in the Middle East. From meetings in Muscat to tightening alliances with Tehran and Beijing, Joja unpacks how Putin’s diplomacy is less about peace — and more about building up Russian influence against the US. Washington should be paying close attention.

In addition to the many trade and business deals, and the significant political announcements made during Donald Trump’s visit to the Gulf, the trip itself marks an important shift in the geopolitical landscape.

As a scholar of Turkey, I spent years watching President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s rise—and, I’ll admit, I once believed in the promise. I had reservations about his Islamist roots, but his vows to fight corruption, reduce poverty, and expand freedoms seemed like the antidote to Turkey’s democratic fragility. For a moment, it felt like real progress.

The sudden announcement of a US-Houthi ceasefire, brokered by Oman, has halted Washington’s air campaign in Yemen and raised urgent questions about the future of Red Sea security. What prompted the deal, and what are its implications for maritime shipping, regional alliances, and the trajectory of Yemen’s civil war? This episode explores the strategic motivations behind the ceasefire, the role of Iran and Saudi Arabia, and how the Houthis could leverage the pause to regroup and expand their influence across the Horn of Africa.

Two recent developments present the new Syrian government with a critical opportunity to stabilize the country. First, US President Donald Trump announced plans to lift sanctions on Syria. Second, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party declared it would disband and dissolve itself — a move that will help Damascus to finalize a deal with the Syrian Democratic Forces and integrate it into the new Syrian national army. President Trump should build on this momentum and seize the opportunity to address one of the most complex remaining challenges facing Syria: the risk of a military confrontation between Turkey and Israel inside the country.

One of the strategic thrusts of the opening months of Trump’s second terms has been aimed at deepening America’s economic engagement with the leading economies of the Gulf. Thus, the first leg of his trip to the region resulted in a template for deeper US-Saudi ties.

Photo: Khamenei/AFP/XGTY via Getty Images

Since mid-April, diplomacy between Tehran and Washington has shifted into overdrive. After a seven-year freeze, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has made a stunning, if not entirely surprising, reversal: He has greenlit a new nuclear deal if U.S. President Donald Trump accepts Tehran’s basic red lines. While the fourth round of talks between the two countries last weekend in Oman contained no apparent breakthrough, both sides seem determined to continue negotiating.

For oil producers in the Middle East, mounting external pressure from trade tensions, tariffs, and oil sanctions presents headwinds to government revenue and regional stability. Oil production is becoming a battle for market share rather than a collective effort to increase prices.