What does the future hold for the Middle East — and the world — in 2026?
In this special episode of Conflicted, Thomas instructs Aimen to peer into his crystal ball and offer his forecasts for the year to come.
In this episode, Aimen and Thomas discuss:
- How professional geopolitical analysts make forecasts
- The impossibility of foreseeing Black Swan events
- Why an end to the war in Ukraine could reshape Middle Eastern geopolitics
- The likelihood of a U.S. war against the Houthis in Yemen
- Renewed hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon
- The strategic importance of the Gulf states
- Iran’s nuclear programme, proxy network, and the risk of renewed confrontation
Add your predictions to your 2026 Forecast Card here: https://forms.gle/sMCbRFmFTBdcfEDd8
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Conflicted is a Message Heard production.
Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren.
Produced by Thomas Small and edited by Lizzy Andrews.
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