FDD Events Podcast

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Listen in on FDD Events featuring discussions on today’s most pressing national security and foreign policy challenges and opportunities with top policymakers and leading experts. Webpage: https://www.fdd.org/events/

FDD


    • Jun 12, 2026 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 31m AVG DURATION
    • 447 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from FDD Events Podcast

    Is this a done deal? | feat. Miad Maleki, Ahmad Sharawi, and Bradley Bowman

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2026 27:47 Transcription Available


    FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer hosts a special SITREP episode of the FDD Morning Brief featuring FDD experts Miad Maleki, Bradley Bowman, and Ahmad Sharawi.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    The Ceasefire War | feat. Lt. Col. (Ret.) Conricus, RADM (Ret.) Montgomery, and Behnam Ben Taleblu

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2026 27:23 Transcription Available


    FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer hosts a special SITREP featuring FDD experts Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus, RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, and Behnam Ben Taleblu.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    How the IRGC engineered its own survival | feat. Rafaela Siewert

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2026 28:45


    Headlines:Yesterday, Iran launched missiles at Israel for the first time since the April ceasefire took effect.President Trump urged Netanyahu not to strike back at Iran — to no avail. Israel doubles down on its efforts to disarm Hamas in Gaza.--FDD Research Analyst Mariam Wahba fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, providing timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation with Rafaela Siewert of The Free Press.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    Qatar's $400 billion grip on America | feat. Natalie Ecanow

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2026 29:25 Transcription Available


    Headlines:The duplicitous, conniving, and corrupt state of Qatar is going to provide 6 billion dollars to Iran's collapsing economy.The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, is going to pack up and go home come December 31st.Yesterday, Hezbollah rejected the latest ceasefire agreement, despite both the Israeli and Lebanese governments agreeing to move forward.The rump of the Islamic Republic has been hyping a statement supposedly issued by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei claiming that Tehran has dealt the U.S. and Israel a quote, “decisive blow,” and that both countries have been deeply humiliated. That's pretty rich coming from a man who hasn't been seen since the first day of the war. Except in the form of a cardboard cutout or an AI rendering.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Senior Research Analyst Natalie Ecanow.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbriefTo read Natalie's latest memo on Qatari influence, please visit: https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/06/03/mapping-qatars-400-billion-footprint-in-the-united-states/

    Where does Europe stand on Iran? | feat. Simone Rodan-Benzaquen

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2026 27:14 Transcription Available


    Headlines:US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Israel and Hezbollah agreed to stop shooting — basically, a sort-of ceasefire under which Israel would stop striking Beirut and Hezbollah would stop attacking Israel. However, to no one's surprise, the shooting has continued.The Iranian regime is planning a three-day funeral for the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which will reportedly take place in mid-June.Bahrain banned its citizens from traveling to Iran and Iraq for somewhat obvious security concerns.Another round of Iran sanctions hit the books yesterday. This time, Treasury targeted Iran's digital asset exchanges and their leaders for helping the IRGC access the international financial system and evade U.S. sanctions.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation withSimone Rodan-Benzaquen, FDD's senior envoy for Europe.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    The deal that dooms the Iranian people | feat. Moj Mahdara

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2026 28:37 Transcription Available


    Headlines:The Israeli military is on the move in Lebanon. The IDF is set to move further north to do more damage to Hezbollah.We'll keep with Lebanon and note here that the Europeans are nudging their way into this theater. The Brits are saying that they want the Israeli advance to end. The French have done the same.Ahmad al-Sharaa, the newish leader of Syria, says he wants all the remaining sanctions on his country lifted.One of the biggest Iran-backed militias in Iraq, Kataeb Hezbollah, says it will not disarm, despite calls from the United States to do so.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Iranian-American entrepreneur and activist Moj Mahdara.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    The unfinished war on terror | feat. Joseph Zacks

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2026 25:48


    Headlines:The Sultanate of Oman committed to increase trade and economic relations with Iran.The Treasury Department slapped sanctions on the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, which is the body that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard stood up to extort vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.The IDF carried out a strike in Beirut yesterday — it was the first Israeli strike in Beirut in three weeks.The U.S. government is expanding its probe into the United Nations Relief and Works Agency — a.k.a. “UNRWA,” a.k.a. Hamas in UN clothing.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Joseph Zacks, FDD Adjunct Fellow and former deputy assistant director for counterterrorism for the CIA.Learn more at: https://fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    Law and order in the Iran war | feat. Natasha Hausdorff

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2026 26:26


    Headlines:Israeli media reported that Shin Bet chief David Zini met with former Palestinian Authority security official Mohammad Dahlan in the United Arab Emirates.The regime in Iran executed a man accused of spying on behalf of the Mossad.The IDF expanded operations in Lebanon, pushing past the ceasefire line delineated in April — the so-called “Yellow Line.Iranian hackers were responsible for a breach of the Los Angeles transport authority earlier this year. An Israeli cybersecurity firm traced digital evidence to a known operation that's believed to be affiliated with Tehran.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with UK international lawyer and barrister Natasha Hausdorff.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    What's the deal with the Iran deal? | feat. Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus & Behnam Ben Taleblu

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2026 38:08


    FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer hosts a special SITREP featuring FDD experts Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus and Behnam Ben Taleblu.They dissect the latest on the Iran deal: what we know, what we don't, and what we're watching.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    The anti-Israel propaganda pipeline feeding mainstream media | feat. Jacki Alexander

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2026 28:47


    HeadlinesTreasury sanctioned nine Hezbollah enablers who help preserve the terrorist group's chokehold on Lebanon by obstructing peace or disarmament efforts. German federal prosecutors brought criminal charges against two individuals suspected of helping Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps plot the murder of Jewish leaders in Germany. The Trump administration is threatening to revoke the visas for the Palestinian delegation to the United Nations if ambassador Riyad Mansour doesn't withdraw his candidacy for vice president of the UN General Assembly.Some bold statements coming out of Tehran. --FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Jacki Alexander, president and CEO of HonestReporting.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    Can the IDF stop Hezbollah's FPV drones? | feat. Ryan Brobst

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2026 24:29 Transcription Available


    Headlines:The Trump administration rolled out another batch of Iran sanctions, as well as a second package targeting four individuals associated with Palestinian terror groups and the Gaza flotilla.It's official. Hamas has a new leader in Gaza.The world's largest cable-laying company suspended work in the Persian Gulf after Iran demanded that the company obtain permits and pay fees to continue repairing subsea cables.Israeli troops reportedly found a document in Gaza last year indicating that Hamas spent the January to March 2025 ceasefire training new recruits.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Ryan Brobst, deputy director of FDD's Center on Military and Political Power.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    Hezbollah's West Africa money trail | feat. Daniel Swift

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2026 28:47 Transcription Available


    Headlines:Iranian drone attacks, whether launched by the regime or its Iraqi proxies, continue to plague the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Remember the yellow zone in Gaza? You know, the territory that Israel controls and that surrounds the red zone that is still controlled by Hamas? Looks like Israel is slowly gaining ground on the terror group.The outrage continues over Nicholas Kristof's column in The New York Times accusing Israel of training dogs to r*pe Palestinians in jail.The Israeli government just passed a death penalty law for West Bank Palestinians convicted of murder.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Daniel Swift, a senior research analyst from FDD's Center on Economic and Financial Power.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    Washington's week with Beirut and Beijing | feat. David Daoud and Craig Singleton

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2026 27:42 Transcription Available


    HeadlinesWe've got another flotilla on the way to Israel. Just what we all needed, right?A Hezbollah drone attack wounded four Israeli civilians in northern Israel.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Wednesday that Netanyahu secretly visited the United Arab Emirates during the war with Iran to meet with Emirati Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed.Fatah, the Palestinian Authority's dominant faction, is on day two of a three-day conference to elect members to its Central Committee and Revolutionary Council, which is essentially the party's parliament.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer hosts a special SITREP featuring FDD experts David Daoud and Craig Singleton.They examine the takeaways from the U.S.-China summit, the deadlock over Hezbollah's disarmament in the Israel-Lebanon talks, and what Washington can achieve on both fronts.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    Why bombs alone won't beat Iran | feat. Andrew Fox

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2026 22:28


    Headlines:The UAE and Saudi Arabia both struck Iran during the latest round of conflict.Operation Economic Fury continues apace.Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Qatar's Minister of State for Defense Affairs in Doha.Israel's Iron Dome and Arrow defense systems have been working overtime but, after weeks — if not months — of speculation, the chair of Israel's Rafael defense firm asserted that the country is not short of missile interceptors.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Andrew Fox of the Henry Jackson Society.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    Groundhog Day in Gaza | feat. Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2026 28:28 Transcription Available


    Headlines:Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan met with a group of Hamas officials in Ankara over the weekend.The New York Times reported over the weekend that Russia is shipping drone components to Iran through the Caspian Sea, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.The Wall Street Journal ran an exclusive on Saturday detailing how the Israelis set up a secret military post in Iraq that hosted special forces and served as a logistical hub for the Israeli Air Force.With elections slated for the fall, a heated political debate is erupting in Israel over Hamas and the October 7 attack.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, founder and director of the Realign for Palestine project at the Atlantic Council.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    A broke and belligerent Iran | feat. Norman Roule

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2026 25:13 Transcription Available


    Headlines:The Iranian regime and the United States traded fire in the Strait of Hormuz last night.The Trump administration issued another batch of sanctions as part of Operation Economic Fury.Reports yesterday suggested that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait blocked the United States from using their bases and their airspace after President Trump announced Project Freedom.Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian claims he met with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei — but it's unclear if and when that meeting took place.An Israeli strike in Gaza killed the son of Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya. --FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Norman Roule, former National Intelligence Manager for Iran at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and current Non-Resident Senior Adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    Qatar's ICC influence operation | feat. Eugene Kontorovich

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2026 25:08


    Headlines:Reports broke suggesting that U.S. intelligence indicates Iran would need about nine months to a year to build a nuclear bomb.The United States, in partnership with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar proposed a UN Security Resolution to defend freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.The United Arab Emirates came under attack on Monday and again yesterday. These were the first attacks on the UAE since the ceasefire took hold last month.--FDD Senior Research Analyst Natalie Ecanow fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, providing timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation between guest interviewer Cliff May, FDD Founder and President, and Eugene Kontorovich, Executive Director of George Mason University Scalia Law School's Center for the Middle East and International Law.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    A Middle East in flux | feat. Ahmad Sharawi, guest hosted by Sinan Ciddi

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2026 30:23


    Headlines:Hezbollah has been deploying a new category of drone that the IDF has struggled to counter.OPEC+, the broader alliance of oil-producing nations that includes OPEC members and additional producers like Russia, met on Sunday and agreed to bump up oil production by 188,000 barrels a day starting in June.U.S.-Iran negotiations hit another wall this past weekend.--FDD Turkey Program Director Sinan Ciddi fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, providing timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation with FDD Senior Research Analyst Ahmad Sharawi.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    The blockade bleeding Iran dry | feat. Max Meizlish, guest hosted by Natalie Ecanow

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2026 24:48


    Headlines: The Global Sumud Flotilla is back — this time without Greta Thunberg.Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei released a written statement yesterday to mark National Persian Gulf Day. Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems reportedly signed a letter of intent with Volkswagen to acquire one of VW's factories in western Germany.FDD Senior Research Analyst Natalie Ecanow fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, providing timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation with FDD Research Fellow Max Meizlish.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    From Epic Fury to Economic Fury | feat. Rich Goldberg

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2026 25:28


    Headlines:The United Arab Emirates announced that it's leaving the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC.Tensions are brewing between Israel and Ukraine over allegations that Israeli authorities are allowing vessels carrying “stolen” grain to dock at Haifa port.Earlier this week, Israeli journalist Amit Segal posted a few paragraphs on X explaining that, according to his sources, Qatar is cutting off Hamas. No more money, no more hosting.--FDD Senior Research Analyst Natalie Ecanow fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, providing timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation between Jon and FDD Senior Advisor Richard Goldberg.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    Israel on trial | feat. Roy K. Altman

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2026 29:06


    Headlines:An attempt on the life of the president of the United States on Saturday night.The talks scheduled between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States over the weekend didn't happen. A serious exchange of hostilities over the weekend between Israel and Hezbollah over there in the Land of the Cedars.Security services in Israel busted a Hamas financing cell in the West Bank and Gaza.The political pair of Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid are teaming up again for another run in Israel. FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Roy K. Altman, federal judge and author of the upcoming book, Israel on Trial: Examining the History, the Evidence, and the Law.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    Can Lebanon break free from Hezbollah? | feat. Hussain Abdul-Hussain

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2026 25:38


    Headlines:Israeli authorities charged two IDF Air Force mechanics with spying on behalf of Iran.France is getting feistier, threatening to impose sanctions on Israel if Jerusalem doesn't change course in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon.President Trump attended a meeting between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors at the White House yesterday.A couple of announcements out of Washington relating to those nasty Iraqi militias. First, a 10 million dollar bounty on Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji of the group known as Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, or KSS.The city of Islamabad is reportedly still on a high security alert, as the Pakistani government continues to prepare for another round of talks between the United States and Iran.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD's Hussain Abdul-Hussain.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    The Gulf's crude awakening | feat. Bernard Haykel

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2026 28:24


    Headlines:At least two maritime vessels were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz overnight, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations.The Treasury Department issued a fresh batch of Iran sanctions, this time targeting Iranian missile and drone procurement networks.The UAE government dismantled an Iran-linked terrorist cell that was allegedly planning terrorist attacks and sabotage operations in the country.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Senior Fellow Bernard Haykel.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    Iran's dirty hand in Sudan | feat. Ambassador Fernandez, guest hosted by Mariam Wahba

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2026 22:14 Transcription Available


    Headlines:The U.S. negotiation team is heading to Islamabad for round two of U.S.-Iran talks, and they're opening under considerably worse conditions than round one.Egypt is working with Pakistan on lasting U.S.-Iran peace, says Egypt's Foreign Minister.Sudan enters its fourth year of war amid the world's most severe humanitarian crisis.--FDD Research Analyst Mariam Wahba fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, providing timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation with Ambassador Alberto Fernandez, vice president of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    China's MidEast reckoning | feat. Gen. H.R. McMaster

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2026 28:56 Transcription Available


    Headlines:A ten-day ceasefire is now in effect in Lebanon.The Treasury Department issued a fresh batch of sanctions targeting a network of people, companies, and ships involved in illicitly smuggling Iranian oil.A group of U.S. senators sent a letter to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche asking him to explain why the Trump administration dropped a criminal case against Turkey's Halkbank.Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed Al-Jolani, met with a pair of Kurdish leaders yesterday to discuss the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces — or SDF — into Syria's state forces.Word on the street is that there was meeting between the U.S. and Hamas in Cairo earlier this week.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with H.R. McMaster, former National Security Advisor to the President of the United States and chairman of FDD's Center on Military and Political Power.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    The unsettled score in Iran | feat. David Adesnik

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2026 22:20


    Headlines:Lebanon and Israel held direct talks for the first time in decades.The Trump administration is gearing up for its blockade of Iranian vessels in the Persian Gulf.There are plans for new ceasefire talks in Islamabad.The UK and France are planning to host virtual talks to iron out a strategy for securing the Strait of Hormuz.A defense cooperation memorandum of understanding between Italy and Israel that's automatically renewed every five years since 2005 expired on Monday. Yesterday, Rome announced that it's ending the agreement amidst the ongoing war in the Middle East.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with David Adesnik.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    Can Iran bypass the blockade? | feat. Miad Maleki

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2026 30:20


    FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Senior Fellow Miad Maleki.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    FDD Morning Brief SITREP | The stakes behind the Iran ceasefire

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2026 38:46 Transcription Available


    Headlines:The IDF said it eliminated Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem's personal secretary in a strike near Beirut.Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said that Beirut isn't going to let any other government negotiate for a ceasefire on its behalf.The Trump administration is reportedly considering moving troops out of NATO countries after several of them hamstringed American efforts in Iran.Iran continues to strangle the Strait of Hormuz.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer hosts a special SITREP episode of the FDD Morning Brief featuring FDD Senior Fellow Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus and FDD CMPP Senior Director Bradley Bowman.They examine the implications of the ceasefire and negotiations between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    The art of the ceasefire deal? | feat. Khosro Isfahani

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2026 24:36 Transcription Available


    Headlines:Yesterday, the IDF said it completed the deployment of ground troops to a so-called anti-tank line in south Lebanon.An American journalist kidnapped in Iraq last week is on her way home.A firefight broke out adjacent to the Israeli consulate in Istanbul yesterday.Massive explosion at the Panama Canal yesterday.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with NUFDI Research Director Khosro Isfahani.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    The 20-year war on freedom | feat. Yana Gorokhovskaia

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2026 26:02


    Today's headlines:The regime in Tehran somehow managed to shoot down an American F-15 fighter jet over the weekend.The aviators from that downed F-15 are both ok.Donald Trump's Truth Social post yesterday seems to suggest that the April 6 deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz has been extended until tomorrow night.The internet blackout continues inside Iran. The war in Lebanon continues. Tough day in Israel yesterday, with a building in Haifa absorbing a direct hit from a ballistic missile, while cluster munitions also hit dozens of locations across central Israel. Turkey is somehow getting its oil tankers out of the Strait of Hormuz. Featured FDD piece: "Islamist Turkey: A Base for Muslim Brotherhood Jihadism" - FDD Memo, Sinan Ciddi and William DoranFDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Freedom House's Yana Gorokhovskaia.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    Is Turkey the new Iran? | feat. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak, guest hosted by Sinan Ciddi

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2026 31:43 Transcription Available


    Today's headlines:Turkey is working with Iranian authorities to secure permission for 11 Turkish-owned ships to sail through the Strait of Hormuz.Israeli forces eliminated the commander of Hezbollah's southern front.The International Energy Agency, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank are joining forces to coordinate a response to the ongoing war with Iran.Featured FDD piece: "Islamist Turkey: A Base for Muslim Brotherhood Jihadism" - FDD Memo, Sinan Ciddi and William Doran--FDD Turkey Program Director Sinan Ciddi fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, providing timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation with world-renowned Turkey scholar Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak.

    Hezbollah versus Lebanon | feat. Hagar Chemali

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2026 26:44


    Today's headlines:Trouble continues in the Strait of Hormuz.Kosovo announced that it plans to deploy troops to the U.S.-backed international stabilization force for Gaza.The Iranian ambassador is still in Lebanon, and the Lebanese government is still effectively beholden to Hezbollah.Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi wants President Trump to end the war.--FDD Research Analyst Mariam Wahba delivers headlines ahead of a conversation between FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer and "Oh My World!" host Hagar Chemali.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    30 days of Roaring Lion | feat. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Amir Eshel

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2026 26:55


    FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Senior Fellow Major General (Ret.) Amir Eshel.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    roaring lion amir eshel
    The splintering axis of evil | feat. Ilan Berman

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2026 24:07


    Today's headlines: U.S.-Israeli air superiority continuesIranian air defenses remain downIsrael eliminated the head of Iran's navyThe Islamic Republic is preparing for a ground warU.S. President Donald Trump has extended the deadline for the regime to make a dealBeirut declared Iran's ambassador to Lebanon persona non grata and instructed him to leave the countryHezbollah continues to batter northern Israel with rocketsThe U.S. embassy in Iraq told American citizens to leave Iraq immediatelyIDF chief of staff informed the cabinet that the army could collapse on itself if the war continues at this pace due to manpower shortages--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Ilan Berman, Senior Vice President of the American Foreign Policy Council.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    Washington's war with itself | feat. Rep. Gottheimer (D-NJ)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2026 29:48


    FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ).Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    Is the U.S. maxing out the pressure on Iran? | feat. Brian Hook

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2026 26:03


    FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with former U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    Winning the sanctions war | feat. Peter Doran

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2026 23:11


    FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Adjunct Senior Fellow Peter Doran, who authored the FDD Monograph "Winning the Race of the Red Queen: How U.S. Sanctions Can Outpace Russia's Evasion."They discuss how Russia and Iran have adapted to U.S. sanctions, why economic pressure often falls short, and what it will take for Washington to regain the upper hand.Learn more: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

    Washington's two-front war | feat. Lewis Libby

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2026 29:07


    FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Distinguished Fellow Lewis Libby.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    The mullah's monarchy | feat. Ray Takeyh

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2026 29:51


    FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Ray Takeyh of the Council on Foreign Relations.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    The Iran war's dire straits | feat. Jonathan Hessen and RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2026 33:55


    FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer hosts a special FDD Morning Brief SITREP featuring FDD experts RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery and Jonathan Hessen.They examine the tactical picture in Iran, the threat to the Strait of Hormuz, and what states could become key players in the conflict.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

    Will Epic Fury finish the regime? | feat. Einat Wilf

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2026 33:14


    FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Einat Wilf, chair of the Knesset's Oz Party.They assess public sentiment in Israel, the danger of leaving the Islamic Republic weakened but intact, and why the fight against the regime's ideology could define the region's future.Learn more: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

    FDD Morning Brief SITREP | The Iran war is testing the Gulf

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2026 29:24


    THE WAR IN IRAN IS TESTING THE GULF---FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer hosts a special SITREP episode of the FDD Morning Brief featuring Ebtesam AlKetbi of the Emirates Policy Center and FDD Senior International Fellow Eyal Hulata.They examine how Operation Epic Fury is impacting Gulf countries.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    FDD Morning Brief SITREP | The military partnership fueling Epic Fury

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2026 32:34


    THE MILITARY PARTNERSHIPS FUELING EPIC FURY---FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer hosts a special SITREP featuring FDD experts Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus and Bradley Bowman. They examine the U.S.-Israel military synchronization powering Operation Epic Fury as it unfolds.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

    FDD Morning Brief SITREP | A wounded regime and the U.S.-Israel alliance

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2026 25:51


    FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer hosts a special SITREP featuring FDD experts Janatan Sayeh and Cameron McMillan.They provide timely situational updates and analysis on the evolving war with Iran and the military dimensions of Operation Epic Fury.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

    A post-Khamenei Iran | feat. Nadav Eyal

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2026 29:36


    FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Israeli journalist Nadav Eyal.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

    Erdogan's neo-Ottoman ambitions | feat. Sinan Ciddi

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2026 26:14


    ERDOGAN'S NEO-OTTOMAN AMBITIONSHEADLINE 1: The Palestinian Authority is still paying money to terrorists.HEADLINE 2: The Trump administration continues to heap financial pressure on Iran.HEADLINE 3: A construction project in Gaza seems to be in the works.---FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Turkey Program Senior Director Sinan Ciddi.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief---Featured FDD Pieces: "Georgia is becoming Iran's sanctions evasion hub" - Keti Korkiya, The Hill"The US should stop indulging Hungary and Slovakia" - Ivana Stradner and Dalibor Rohac, Washington Examiner "Saving the European-American marriage" - Clifford D. May, The Washington Times

    Has Australia lost its way? | feat. Erin Molan

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2026 25:01


    HEADLINE 1: Iran wants to buy anti-ship missiles from China.HEADLINE 2: India's prime minister touched down in Israel today.HEADLINE 3: In case you missed it, Syria recently transferred thousands of ISIS prisoners to Iraq. --FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Erin Molan, former television presenter for Sky News Australia and host of The Erin Molan Show.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"What if the Iranian Regime Is Stronger Than Trump Thinks?" - Reuel Marc Gerecht and Ray Takeyh, The New York Times"How Did the United States End Up on the Same Side as the Muslim Brotherhood in Yemen?" - Bridget Toomey, FDD Insight"The Islamic Republic's Weaponization of Global Terror" - Mark Dubowitz and Edmund Fitton-Brown, The Iran Breakdown

    The goal isn't a better deal — it's a free Iran | feat. Mark Dubowitz

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2026 26:38


    FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Chief Executive Mark Dubowitz.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

    An ancient city's modern divide | feat. Yishai Fleisher

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2026 29:52


    AN ANCIENT CITY'S MODERN DIVIDE HEADLINE 1: Iran and Russia held joint naval exercises in and around the Gulf of Oman.HEADLINE 2: The European Union officially designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization.HEADLINE 3: Israel carried out a large counterterrorism operation in the town of Hebron this week.---FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Yishai Fleisher, who serves as the international spokesperson for the Jewish Community of Hebron.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief---Featured FDD Pieces:"Europe Looks to Israeli Tech to Defend Tanks" - Brad Bowman and Justin Leopold-Cohen, Real Clear Defense"Free Jimmy Lai!" - Cliff May, The Washington Times"Ukraine, four years in" - LinkedIn Newsletter: This Week at FDD

    Is Washington too sold on Syria's new strongman? | feat. Andrew Tabler

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2026 28:02


    HEADLINE 1: More countries are planning to contribute troops to the International Stabilization Force in Gaza.HEADLINE 2: The Lebanese government provided an update on disarming Hezbollah.HEADLINE 3: Qatar is taking some heat right now from an unlikely place: the Israeli left.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Andrew Tabler of The Washington Institute.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"Allies, Adversaries, and the Axis" - Bradley Bowman and LTG (Ret.) H.R. McMaster, Foreign Podicy"Did Iran Use Chemical Weapons on Protesters?" - Andrea Stricker (writing with Gregory D. Koblentz), The National Interest"Trump could be missing the opportunity to rebuild the Navy efficiently and quickly" - RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, New York Post

    "Peace through strength" or posture without strategy? | feat. Steve Hayes

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2026 27:12


    FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Steve Hayes, CEO and editor of The Dispatch.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

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