# Babel: Translating the Middle East A podcast by Center for Strategic and International Studies. Babel will take you beyond the headlines to discuss what’s really happening in the Middle East and North Africa. It features regional experts who explain what’s going on, provide context on pivotal developments, and highlight trends you may have missed. Jon Alterman, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, hosts the podcast along with his colleagues from the Middle East Program. This podcast is made possible through the generous support of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates. All views, positions, and conclusions expressed here should be understood to be solely of those of the speaker(s). Feed: https://feeds.megaphone.fm/CSIS1853412217 ## Latest episodes - [Babel Special: Jon Alterman's Next Chapter](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/219b5c236cd6) (2025-05-22, 35 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS1379805659.mp3?updated=1747942876 - [Mohanad Hage Ali: Hezbollah and the Captagon Trade](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/6dd17545479a) (2025-05-15, 51 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS8946167024.mp3?updated=1747337993 - [Analysis: Will Trump’s Houthi Deal Stick?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/4dc6bc26a75b) (2025-05-08, 7 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS7834029731.mp3?updated=1746733074 - [Dina Esfandiary: Will Iran Make a Deal with Trump?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/615cf0a00d3e) (2025-05-01, 43 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS6271091075.mp3?updated=1746119342 - [Analysis: Trump’s Novel Middle East Diplomacy](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/d1e818df1ae7) (2025-04-24, 7 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS9953689315.mp3?updated=1745524539 - [Craig Larkin: The Politics of Memory, From Mosul to Beirut to Gaza](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/b2a7b00cd2ea) (2025-04-17, 41 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS4477502414.mp3?updated=1744915924 - [Analysis: Iran, Deal or No Deal?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/f74ba581d3c8) (2025-04-10, 7 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS1901011258.mp3?updated=1744297876 - [Dahlia Scheindlin: Israel’s Political Turmoil](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/161243a6ec9f) (2025-04-03, 34 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS5006966554.mp3?updated=1743695245 - [Analysis: Trump Takes on the Houthis](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/57496c5951c4) (2025-03-27, 7 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS9384044258.mp3?updated=1743098640 - [Nicolas Pelham: Ahmed al-Sharaa and Syria’s Future](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/638e1ebbd687) (2025-03-20, 47 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS1005923521.mp3?updated=1742494370 - [Renad Mansour and Sanam Vakil: Iranian Networks in the Middle East](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/08f835f270f9) (2025-03-13, 47 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS1579649234.mp3?updated=1741886303 - [Analysis: Trump’s Middle East Strategy](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/581d1617c294) (2025-03-06, 7 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS1109278262.mp3?updated=1741283738 - [Max Bergmann: Does Europe Matter in the Middle East?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/99720ba0a747) (2025-02-27, 29 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS9570876762.mp3?updated=1740676854 - [Analysis: Are U.S.-Russia Talks a Win for the Saudis?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/a9310284a870) (2025-02-20, 5 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS2811469464.mp3?updated=1740082059 - [Alessandro Accorsi: Disinformation Warfare in the Middle East](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/356857828925) (2025-02-13, 44 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS8196054074.mp3?updated=1739476874 - [Analysis: Netanyahu Comes to Washington](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/5b60f3c0446c) (2025-02-04, 5 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS9849091010.mp3?updated=1738688701 - [Sinem Adar: Turkey's Syria Challenge](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/bca5645b9727) (2025-01-28, 38 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS5345516033.mp3?updated=1738090085 - [Analysis: Gaza Peace?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/9bf0620f5907) (2025-01-21, 8 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS8421566290.mp3?updated=1737497253 - [eL Seed: Arabic Calligraffiti](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/05771d78569d) (2025-01-14, 33 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS4106334321.mp3?updated=1736885884 - [Analysis: Syria’s Bid for Sanctions Relief](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/7c57f47d6795) (2025-01-07, 9 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS4433762993.mp3?updated=1736287605 - [Special: Syria's Post-Assad Scramble](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/553f19ff98d6) (2024-12-17, 28 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS3868574527.mp3?updated=1734479228 - [Max Gallien: Black Markets of the Maghreb](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/d3becc387464) (2024-12-10, 35 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS5195073242.mp3?updated=1733861317 - [Analysis: The Regional Fallout of Syria's Unrest](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/6678a88bbade) (2024-12-03, 10 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS8435005555.mp3?updated=1733239573 - [Arwa Damon: Gaza's Wounds](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/934b2dd4612c) (2024-11-26, 39 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS2106399092.mp3?updated=1732641261 - [Analysis: Saudi Arabia's Economic Plans Stumble](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/d84325922a2c) (2024-11-19, 5 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS3395663805.mp3?updated=1732028083 - [Mohammad Ali Shabani: Iran After October 7](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/6340a54ec6b0) (2024-11-12, 45 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS9614098632.mp3?updated=1731454229 - [Analysis: Israel Hits Iran](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/a71d35ff70b2) (2024-11-05, 6 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS7425408111.mp3?updated=1730838455 - [Amjad Iraqi: The Future of Palestinians in Israel](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/4ba8bf58f371) (2024-10-29, 42 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS9520241339.mp3?updated=1730237033 - [Analysis: Israel's Trajectory](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/10f7533d80a1) (2024-10-22, 6 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS1513687535.mp3?updated=1729616156 - [Lina Khatib: War Spreads to Lebanon](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/503c139ead41) (2024-10-15, 35 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS6941155685.mp3?updated=1729025181 - [Analysis: Israel's Ground Invasion into Lebanon](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/0bb29a27e76f) (2024-10-08, 7 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS9647950774.mp3?updated=1728350922 - [Peter Schwartzstein: Climate Violence in the Middle East](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/5a2e62d224c1) (2024-10-01, 37 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS6354793930.mp3?updated=1727814637 - [Analysis: Israel-Hezbollah Escalation](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/060d4347182e) (2024-09-24, 6 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS2584275060.mp3?updated=1727193915 - [Hussein Ibish: Popular Mobilization Since October 7](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/b670a845eee7) (2024-09-18, 40 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS9542242413.mp3?updated=1726672323 - [Analysis: The Hostage Crisis in Gaza](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/9cf523ca8509) (2024-09-10, 8 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS7971735500.mp3?updated=1725980931 - [Isabelle Werenfels: North Africa's Relationship with Europe](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/2e244014fdf0) (2024-09-03, 38 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS9478442273.mp3?updated=1725396184 - [A Mezze: A Fishy Business in Port Said](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/cce45e995dfe) (2024-08-27, 2 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS1841418329.mp3?updated=1724774325 - [Michelle Nunn: The Challenges of Gaza's Humanitarian Crisis](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/f3b442cf3092) (2024-08-20, 36 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS7404325759.mp3?updated=1724183434 - [Analysis: The Aftermath of Haniyeh's Assassination](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/2a8a21b91295) (2024-08-13, 6 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS7657580952.mp3?updated=1723560372 - [Analysis: Netanyahu's U.S. Visit](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/d26bee7843c2) (2024-07-30, 5 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS1912433212.mp3?updated=1722353456 - [Hasan Alhasan: The Strategies of Gulf States](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/ddc14d1bc647) (2024-07-23, 44 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS6727153463.mp3?updated=1721765646 - [Analysis: Iran's Presidential Election](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/634a793814c9) (2024-07-16, 6 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS2421969001.mp3?updated=1721151775 - [Karim Haggag: Egypt's Balancing Act](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/1ffd4c8bf12b) (2024-07-09, 42 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS3678539984.mp3?updated=1720559772 - [A Mezze: The Voice Inside AI's Head Speaks English](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/f5123167b019) (2024-07-02, 3 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS8687426931.mp3?updated=1720012728 - [Karim Elgendy: Climate Diplomacy in the Middle East](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/f12e34235625) (2024-06-25, 32 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS5408524753.mp3?updated=1719348064 - [Analysis: Lebanon's Dangerous Campaign against Refugees](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/fd019d933936) (2024-06-18, 7 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS4503243897.mp3?updated=1718722837 - [Jonathan Rynhold: Israel's Divided Politics](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/713d9a95dee0) (2024-06-11, 40 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS2008101219.mp3?updated=1718140181 - [Analysis: Environmental Politics in Postrevolutionary Tunisia](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/cb3ca32fe97b) (2024-06-04, 4 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS7937620281.mp3?updated=1717520781 - [Sanam Vakil: Iran's Trajectory after Raisi](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/574486e9308b) (2024-05-29, 38 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS2067948341.mp3?updated=1718114797 - [Analysis: The Impacts of Raisi's Death](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1479606317/168719a1339b) (2024-05-21, 5 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSIS8857479920.mp3?updated=1717017384 Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them.