Interviews

Exclusive conversations with Al-Monitor.

Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin arrives to attend a church service for former French President Jacques Chirac at the Saint-Sulpice church in Paris on September 30, 2019. - Former French President Jacques Chirac died on September 26, 2019 at the age of 86.

Former French PM says Trump has ‘immense opportunity’ in Mideast

Dominique de Villepin

Dominique de Villepin

Former French prime minister

Interview

Syrian Kurdish commander tells Washington not to sell F-16s to Turkey

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, SDF commander-in-chief Mazlum Kobane called on the United States to shore up flagging Kurdish faith in Washington and block any new F-16 sales to Turkey.

Mazlum Kobane

Mazlum Kobane

SDF commander in chief

Mousa Abu Marzouk is seen during a Nov. 7 interview with the BBC.

Interview

In shift, a top Hamas official floats Israel recognition

In an interview with Al-Monitor, senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk suggested the militant group would adhere to the Palestine Liberation Organization’s stance on Israel.

Mousa Abu Marzouk

Mousa Abu Marzouk

Senior Hamas official

Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi gives a joint press conference with his German counterpart following talks at the Foreign Ministry in Berlin on March 10, 2021.

Interview

Israel already suffering 'strategic defeat' with global outcry over Gaza, Jordan’s FM says

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi urged the United States to wield its influence with Israel to stem the bloodshed in Gaza after two months of devastating war.

Ayman Safadi

Ayman Safadi

Foreign Minister of Jordan

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) speaks during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on the Defense Department's budget request on Capitol Hill on June 17, 2021 in Washington, DC.

Interview

US senator calls for holding Israel accountable if it doesn’t limit civilian casualties

In an interview with Al-Monitor, US Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Democrat from Maryland, says Biden should go over Netanyahu’s head, speak directly to Israeli people about post-conflict vision.

Chris Van Hollen

Chris Van Hollen

US Senator from Maryland

COP28

Interview

IEA calls COP28 'big opportunity' to slash methane emissions

In an interview with Al-Monitor, the International Energy Agency's chief energy economist, Tim Gould, said the climate summit should focus on methane as well as climate finance for the developing world.

Tim Gould

Tim Gould

Chief Energy Economist of the International Energy Agency

Mazloum Abdi (Kobani), commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), speaks with AFP during an interview in the countryside outside the northwestern Syrian city of Hasakah, in the province of the same name, on Jan. 24, 2019.

Interview

Syrian Kurdish commander: 'We don’t want to become battleground between US, Iran'

Mazlum Kobane also revealed that the Iran-backed groups had begun to target SDF military positions.

Mazlum Kobane

Mazlum Kobane

SDF commander in chief

Omar Olama

Interview

Fear shouldn’t overtake rationality in approach to artificial intelligence, says UAE AI minister

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, UAE AI Minister Omar Sultan Al Olama discusses how states should govern the technology and whether fears about machine intelligence are founded.

Omar Sultan Al Olama

Omar Sultan Al Olama

UAE Minister of State

MANDEL NGAN//AFP via Getty Images

Interview

'A lot of work' remains on Saudi-Israel deal, says Abraham Accords adviser

In an interview with Al-Monitor, the State Department’s Senior Adviser for Regional Integration Daniel Shapiro said there's no question Israel's normalization with Saudi Arabia would “radiate out” to other countries looking to join the Abraham Accords.

Daniel Shapiro

Daniel Shapiro

US Senior Adviser for Regional Integration

Interview

Fintech, digital sukuk could spur Islamic finance growth in Middle East

The Gulf has seen a boom in funding for fintech startups, more than quadrupling from $200 million in 2020 to $885 million last year.

Mohamed Damak

Mohamed Damak

Global Head of Islamic Finance at S&P

DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images

Interview

Syrian Kurdish commander Kobane acknowledges Arab grievances as tensions ease in Deir Ezzor

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Syrian Kurdish commander Mazlum Kobane discussed the recent clashes in Deir Ezzor between local tribes and Kurdish forces.

Mazlum Kobane

Mazlum Kobane

SDF commander in chief

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf.

Interview

Algerian FM 'satisfied' with Biden’s Western Sahara policy

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf also discussed the possibility for military intervention in Niger, his country’s relationship with Russia and improved US-Algeria ties under the Biden administration.

Ahmed Attaf

Ahmed Attaf

Foreign Minister of Algeria

Hagop Kantarjian, M.D., poses with one of his favorite paintings, "Seated Woman with Red Guitar" (2021).

Interview

From Lebanon to Texas, award-winning cancer doctor charts new course for leukemia research

Dr. Hagop Kantarjian, whose life work has transformed research, diagnosis and treatment of leukemia, also expands cancer research networks and collaboration in the Middle East.

Dr. Hagop Kantarjian

Dr. Hagop Kantarjian

Chair of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center leukemia department

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