Brian Katulis

The Islamic Republic's War on the Iranian People Podcast Episode · Taking the Edge Off the Middle East with Brian Katulis · 03/02/2026 · 1h 9m

"This regime is not Persian. This regime is an invasive species..." says Emad Shargi, a former American hostage held in Iran. "Since the inception of the 1979 revolution, this regime has done everything to demean and belittle Persian culture."

Listen to the latest episode of Taking the Edge Off:

Will the Gaza ceasefire make it to phase two? Israel's ongoing violations of the truce and Trump's apathy over Palestinian grievances give little room for optimism

The missing factor in Trump's Middle East equation is a big one:

The Palestinians.

My latest analysis in Al Majalla

How Donald Trump leads like the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat:

Rob Malley shares how his co-author Hussein Agha saw similarities in the erratic improv styles of both.

Latest episode of "Taking the Edge Off the Middle East"

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Imagine living in a world where a trove of files is released depicting powerful political & economic figures doing things to lift up & empower the least fortunate people & advancing the common good.

How Palestinian Roots Shaped an American Ambassador

Tune in to the latest episode of "Taking the Edge Off the Middle East" where Theodore Kattouf reflects on how his Palestinian-American background shaped his diplomatic career and worldview.

Ted also discusses the difficult loss of his son Paul who was tragically murdered last year.

The promise of expanded US-Saudi ties There is great potential for the two countries to expand their relationship across many key areas, but much work remains to flesh out the details of proposed frameworks

While there is great potential for the two countries to elevate their relationship across many key issues, much work remains to fill in the details of the proposed frameworks.

My latest analysis for Al Majalla

It was a pleasure hosting Faisal J. Abbas on my podcast!

We discussed his impressions of MBS's visit to Washington and the opportunities it presents for US-Saudi relations, the Kingdom's transformation over the past decade, and its relationships with key partners.

www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...

Intissar Fakir and I had a great time hosting a class from the University of North Florida, taught by my friend and former co-author Amb. Nancy Soderberg, at the Middle East Institute yesterday!

Richard Fontaine and I discuss Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's November 2025 visit to Washington, Saudi Arabia's emergence as a key "swing state," and what this means for the US-Saudi relationship.

Watch the full podcast episode here: www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...

What to expect when President #Trump meets #Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this week?

Richard Fontaine of CNAS & I talk about Saudi Arabia's role as a key "swing state" in geopolitics on the latest episode of "Taking the Edge Off the Middle East"

www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...

US-Saudi ties are the cornerstone of Trump’s Mideast policy When Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visits the White House to meet with US President Donald Trump on 18 November, there will be no shortage of issues for the two leaders to discuss

The US-Saudi bilateral relationship has become a cornerstone of Trump's overall Middle East policy, which is why we can expect continued steps to deepen those ties.

My latest piece for Al Majalla

Come one, come all!

Looking forward to hosting Taking the Edge Off's first live podcast recording with Hisham Melhem next week at our alma mater, Villanova University!

Divisions at home hinder America’s ambitions abroad Over the past week, US President Donald Trump made an extended trip to Asia and threatened military actions against Latin American and African countries. But despite his administration's continuing am...

If Trump can't do his basic job of keeping the US government open & bridge gaps between Republicans and Democrats - it's hard to see him bridging divides between Israelis, Palestinians, Saudis, & Iranians.

My latest take on US policy for Middle East Institute

Looking forward to joining the Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council this coming Thursday, November 6, to discuss Trump 2.0's foreign policy approach 10 months in, based on my latest report card, which you can read here: lnkd.in/eY3JauVc

Event details are in the link below!

On the latest episode of my podcast, Mara Rudman shares lessons learned from her time serving in the Obama and Clinton administrations and what it means for future U.S. engagement abroad, with anecdotes of her time working with world leaders and U.S. policymakers.

Tune in: lnkd.in/e7_zUfk6

For Syrian Refugees, U.S. Aid Cuts Have Been Devastating Many face a tough choice—remain in squalid camps or return to a troubled homeland.

My reflections on a recent visit to Lebanon and Syria in @foreignpolicy.com

Those poor little kids...

Trump's Middle East policy at the 9-month mark: Grades for the quarter are in!

My latest assessment on how Trump 2.0 is handling the region overall.

Read the full report here: www.mei.edu/publications...

Coming soon!

Quarterly grades in my report card on how Trump 2.0 is handling U.S. Middle East policy at the 9-month mark.

I give a preview to Alistair Taylor & Matthew Czekaj on the Middle East Institute's podcast Middle East Focus.

Tune in here:

mei.edu/multimedia/p...

A Middle East expert speaks in Louisville on the US-Israel relationship Middle East expert Brian Katulis spoke with LPM’s Bill Burton about how the U.S. affects the region

It's great to be back in Louisville!

Thanks to Bill Burton with @lpm.org for having me on the program to talk about some of the things we'll be discussing with @drfarley.bsky.social in a program by World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana this evening.

www.lpm.org/news/2025-10...

How Marvin Weinbaum's personal conviction & intellectual curiosity have shaped his life’s work spanning 5 decades of impacting policy debates on #Afghanistan, #Pakistan, #Iran, #Egypt & beyond

Latest episode of #EdgeofftheMiddleEast

The episode is out on all platforms: www.mei.edu/multimedia/p...

The current Israeli-Palestinian nightmare is a result of multiple failures of leadership The unresolved crises unfolding on the Israeli-Palestinian front — a growing humanitarian disaster inside of Gaza, the horrific images of emaciated Israelis held hostage by terrorists in the coastal s...

True leadership in America and Israel would look beyond the management of the current crisis to define and pursue a clearer, more positive outcome through diplomacy, rather than more conflict and war.

My latest analysis of Trump 2.0's performance on the Israeli-Palestinian front

Trump’s Middle East policy arrives at a temporary and fragile limbo Domestic politics has taken center stage in the United States as Congress struggles to pass President Donald Trump’s proposed budget plan. But July is also shaping up as a pivotal month for Trump’s fo...

Trump's foreign policy at a temporary & fragile limbo in the Middle East

My latest weekly analysis on U.S. foreign policy for
Middle East Institute:

How US Policy Is Taking Shape – From Libya To Iran Stephanie Williams, former US diplomat and deputy head of the UN mission in Libya, sits down with Brian Katulis for a wide-ranging conversation about what’s happening in the Middle East today. They ta...

Thanks to Stephanie Turco Williams for coming on "Taking the Edge Off the Middle East."

We discussed her new book, Libya Since Qaddafi: Chaos and the Search for Peace and also talked about her decades of experience as a senior diplomat with the U.S. Department of State and United Nations.

From Tehran to Gaza with Eyal Hulata This episode was originally recorded on June 9, 2025, featuring a wide-ranging conversation with Eyal Hulata—Israel’s former National Security Advisor—about the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, hi...

From Tehran to Gaza - former Israeli national security advisor Eyal Hulata of Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) joins me on "Taking the Edge Off the Middle East" podcast Middle East Institute:

Three essential questions to ask in the aftermath of America’s attack on Iran This past Monday, after 12 days of war, Israel and Iran agreed to a cease-fire brokered by the US and Qatar. Three key questions presently loom over US policy on Iran and the wider Middle East.

My assessment of the U.S. strikes on Iran for my weekly column, "Making Sense," with Middle East Institute:

Jordan’s Role in a Region in Crisis: A Conversation with Ambassador Dina Kawar Ambassador Dina Kawar, Jordan’s Ambassador to the United States, joins host Brian Katulis for a wide-ranging conversation on Jordan’s efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, its bilateral ...

Check out my last podcast episode with Ambassador Dina Kawar, Jordan’s Ambassador to the United States.

This one was a special episode for me - the ambassador is a friend, and I have a personal connection to Jordan, where I lived and studied on a Fulbright scholarship from 1994 to 1995.

America moves closer to the brink of maximum uncertainty at home and abroad The spotlight in America this week is trained on the home front, with growing tensions inside the country over President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and a showdown unfolding on the streets of...

America: trouble ahead, trouble behind

My latest weekly take on U.S. foreign policy, with a heavier dose on what's happening at home this week:

Is the Two-State Solution Still Viable? Saudi Spokesperson Fahad Nazer Makes the Case. 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 relationsh...

Check out the latest episode of my podcast with Fahad Nazer!
We discuss the evolving US-Saudi relationship amid unprecedented regional volatility, the deepening crisis in Gaza, and broader international engagement to address the humanitarian catastrophe and prevent further regional escalation.

Back in Black by AC/DC at Princeton reunion fireworks

Three issues to watch in Trump’s emerging Iran policy approach The biggest development this past week in the Middle East policy of Trump’s second administration was the initiation of talks between the United States and Iran. This small sign of hope for diplomatic...

Iran may be the most important test of Trump 2.0's foreign policy template: