On this episode, we speak to Fahad Nazer, spokesperson for the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington, who joins us just days after the crown prince's high-profile visit to the United States. The trip brought major developments on defense and nuclear power, and has cemented Saudi Arabia's regional partner for peace and prosperity in the region. We ask him about all of that, plus details of the Saudi initiative to convince Washington to intervene and settle the dispute in Sudan, and much more.
On this episode, we speak to Michael Ratney, former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and longtime American diplomat with decades of experience across the Middle East. Mr Ratney provides rare insights about the bilateral relationship, as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman heads to Washington for what is being billed as a truly historic visit. We ask him what he expects of the visit and what his views are on the questions being raised about the strategic value of US alliances following the Israeli and Iranian strikes against Qatar last summer.
On this episode, we speak to Amjad Tadros, former CBS producer and four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist. After decades covering Iraq and Syria, how does he view the Middle East today? As Western media coverage of the Arab world becomes more balanced, and after 30 years in some of the world’s toughest environments, what finally made him step down away from journalism?
On this episode we speak to John Pagano, the CEO of Red Sea Global, the man leading one of the most ambitious tourism projects in the world and who has also recently granted Saudi citizenship. Saudi Arabia is positioning the Red Sea as a major part of its economic transformation, aiming to create a luxury destination powered by renewable energy and carefully designed to protect its fragile coral reefs and marine life. But can the Kingdom truly rival long-established destinations like the Maldives and Egypt? How will it maintain the balance between rapid growth and real sustainability? And what will it take to turn a national vision into a lasting international success story?
On this episode we speak to Nick Robertson, CNN's international diplomatic editor and one of the most experienced war correspondents in the field today. More than two years after the war in Gaza began, a fragile ceasefire is now in place. Full-scale fighting has paused but the region remains tense with sporadic cross-border fire, ongoing hostage exchanges and deep uncertainty over Gaza’s political future.
On this episode, we speak to Muin Serhan, the CEO of Amsa Hospitality in Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom set its sights on 100 million visitors by 2030 and hit that target seven years ahead of schedule. Many have called it a remarkable achievement, but one that’s now testing the limits of the country’s hospitality sector, with hotel shortages, soaring prices and a race to keep up with demand. So how can Saudi sustain that momentum without losing control of quality or cost? Who’s stepping up to deliver the infrastructure behind the vision? And how would the infrastructure handle the pressure of a global spotlight?
This week, we speak to Omar Awadallah, deputy minister of foreign affairs for political affairs at the Palestinian Authority, as controversy grows over President Trump's new Gaza peace plan. Within hours of its launch, Israeli airstrikes killed more than 50 Palestinians, shattering hopes of peace. Can Washington really rein in its closest ally, or has the balance of power shifted too far? And if Hamas is told to disarm with no assurances from Israel, can this truly lead to peace or only deepen mistrust and violence?
On this episode, we speak to Dr. Benedikt Franke, the vice-chairman and CEO of the Munich Security Conference,fresh from its first-ever leaders’ meeting in Saudi Arabia. How did regional leaders respond to President Trump’s latest Gaza peace plan? Is a two-state solution remotely possible with the Israel’s hard-right government? What role can Saudi Arabia play in pushing diplomacy forward? And can the MSC still build consensus, or is the West too divided to shape the future?
As Western nations move to recognize the state of Palestine, the United Nations faces growing questions over whether this changes anything on the ground. Settlements are expanding, Gaza remains under siege and the Security Council is paralysed by US vetoes. On this episode of Frankly Speaking, we hear from Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general. We ask if recognition can deliver real statehood. Will the UN confront allegations of genocide in Gaza? And is the Security Council powerless after two years of war?
This week,we speak with Tom Fletcher, the United Nations under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator. As a UN inquiry concludes this week that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, we ask what impact will this likely have on the ground? What challenges lie ahead as the UN turns 80? And what is Fletcher's message to world leaders as they gather for a High-Level Week at the United Nations General Assembly?
This week, we speak with Professor Nick Maynard, an Oxford surgeon who’s volunteered in Gaza for 15 years with Medical Aid for Palestinians. Nearly two years into Israel’s military campaign, we ask about Gaza’s collapsing health system, the injuries seen on the ground, and whether international law is protecting medical workers. Are Israeli denials of famine and civilian targeting credible? Should surgeons speak out publicly or in court?
This week we speak with businessman Bahaa Hariri, the eldest son of Lebanon’s former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Twenty years after his father’s assassination, and three years after his younger brother quit politics, he says he’s ready to return and revive his family’s legacy. But can someone who has spent much of his life abroad speak for a nation in collapse? Is Lebanon really looking for another Hariri? Or has it already moved on under new leadership? And what does he make of the recent political change both in Lebanon and beyond?
Marwan Barghouti has spent more than two decades in an Israeli prison. Yet, polls still place him as the most popular Palestinian leader, and a figure that many believe could unite Fatah and Hamas. Earlier this month, he was seen for the first time in years after far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered his cell and taunted him on camera. The footage sparked outrage, not least from his family. On this episode, we speak to his son Arab Barghouti about that moment, his father’s enduring influence, and what the path to a Palestinian state looks like today.
Few people know the pressures of running Israel like Ehud Olmert. He was prime minister during the 2006 Lebanon war, in peace talks with the Palestinians in 2008 and (went) through a political crisis that ended with his resignation on corruption charges. Since leaving office, he has become one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fiercest critics, calling for him to face trial for war crimes. On this episode, we ask the former prime minister what he really thinks of Israel’s current government, its extremist ministers and if Mr. Netanyahu’s leadership has pushed Israel into dangerous isolation, even among its closest allies.
As Gaza plunges deeper into catastrophe, Israel’s blockade has stopped aid for over a month, 60,000 children face malnutrition, hospitals lie in ruins, and the United Nations has called it a “killing field.” On this episode, we’re joined by Palestinian Authority State Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Dr. Varsen Aghabekian. We ask why the peace talks collapsed. Will Israel be held accountable for strikes on hospitals and the deaths of aid workers? And is the Palestinian Authority truly prepared to govern both Gaza and the West Bank after such devastation?
Several months after the fall of Bashar Al-Assad, Syria remains battered by more than a decade of war and is now facing the uphill task of rebuilding from within and claiming legitimacy on the global stage. On this episode of Frankly Speaking we hear from London-based Syrian analyst Ghassan Ibrahim. Is the worst truly behind Syria, or could renewed sectarian violence and growing tensions with Israel and Turkey cause further chaos? Will the new government win over Arab and Western leaders and finally see crippling sanctions lifted? And ultimately, can President Al-Sharaa deliver the peace and unity Syrians so desperately need?
On this episode, we speak with Lebanese economist and political analyst Nadim Shehadi. Can the new president deliver on his promises of reform and economic revival? Or will the persistent influence of Hezbollah, permanently hinder his chances of success? Plus, we examine America's evolving role in the country and explore whether normalization with Israel could be on the cards.
As tensions simmer over, the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Riyadh has become a pivotal stage this week, with separate high-stakes meetings by Ukraine and Russia underscoring its growing importance in global diplomacy. Today, we speak with one of Russia's top diplomats, the first deputy permanent representative to the UN, Dmitry Polanski. Can a Black Sea ceasefire tied to sanctions relief truly de-escalate the conflict, even as both sides ramp up attacks on the ground? Are either parties willing to make the hard concessions needed to end the three-year war? Plus, how is Riyadh shaping the long-awaited shift towards peace?
Two months after returning to the White House, President Trump has shocked the world with a series of major announcements, from aggressive DOGE initiatives to high tariffs, plans to relocate thousands of Palestinians from Gaza, and secret talks with Hamas. Today we hear from Norman T. Roule, the former senior US intelligence official and Middle East expert, to ask what President Trump’s actions mean for US foreign policy, how they will impact the changes underway in the Middle East, can Washington be convinced to back the Arab world’s plan to rebuild Gaza, and is a Trump-Putin summit in Saudi Arabia on the horizon?
On this episode we speak with Faisal Sultan, the Vice President and Managing Director of Lucid Middle East. We talk to him about EV adoption in the Kingdom, Lucid’s new challenges following its CEO’s sudden exit, all as rival Tesla reportedly prepares to launch operations in Saudi Arabia. And as Lucid ramps up production in the Kingdom, will Saudi be the decisive force that propels Lucid back to profitability?