Taking the Edge Off the Middle East Podcast
1) Courage Runs in the Iranian People's DNA
Brian sits down with Holly Dagres, Libitzky Family Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, to discuss Iranian public opinion, protest movements, and Washington's lack of strate...Show More
2) The Islamic Republic's War on the Iranian People
Against the backdrop of the Iranian government's brutal crackdown on protestors, Brian is joined by Emad Shargi, an Iranian-American businessman who was unjustly detained by the regime in 2018 until h...Show More
3) Brian and Behnam Shake the Magic 8 Ball on Iran
Brian sits down with Behnam Taleblu, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to unpack the ongoing protests in Iran and what this moment reveals about the long struggle between the...Show More
4) Rob Malley Argues Two States is an Illusion
Brian sits down with Robert Malley, a former US official best known for his role as the lead negotiator of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Malley discusses the motivations behind his new ...Show More
5) How Palestinian Roots Shaped an American Ambassador
Brian welcomes Ambassador (ret.) Theodore "Ted" Kattouf, who previously served as US Ambassador to Syria and the United Arab Emirates, as well as President and CEO of the leading nonprofit organizatio...Show More
6) Special Feature: A Front-Row Seat to Saudi Arabia's Transformation
In this episode, Brian sits down with Faisal Abbas, editor-in-chief of Arab News. Abbas, who reported on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's November 18 visit to the White House, unpacks his impr...Show More
7) Saudi Arabia's Role as a Global Swing State
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's November 2025 visit to the United States is his first in more than seven years, and during the past few years Saudi Arabia has assumed an increasingly prominen...Show More
8) From the West Wing to the West Bank, Israel, and Gaza with Bill Clinton
In this episode of Taking the Edge Off the Middle East, host Brian Katulis is joined by Mara Rudman, MEI Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow and veteran of the Obama and Clinton administrations. Together,...Show More
9) A Passion for Policy: Marvin Weinbaum on Afghanistan, Pakistan, and U.S. Engagement Abroad
Brian Katulis speaks with Dr. Marvin Weinbaum—senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and former Departme...Show More
A Passion for Policy: Marvin Weinbaum on Afghanistan, Pakistan, and U.S. Engagement Abroad
1:03:46 | Oct 21st, 2025
10) Elliott Abrams Tells All
Veteran US foreign policy official Elliott Abrams joins Brian for a sweeping conversation on America’s role in the world amid global upheaval. With nearly 50 years of experience under Presidents Reaga...Show More