[LIVE] FDD Morning Brief w Behnam Ben Taleblu
About Behnam Ben Taleblu
Behnam Ben Taleblu is the senior director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies' (FDD) Iran Program, where he also serves as a senior fellow. In this role, he oversees the entirety of FDD's work concerning Iran, drawing on over a decade of experience supporting the program.
His previous positions at FDD include research fellow and senior Iran analyst.
Before his tenure at FDD, Taleblu worked on non-proliferation issues at an arms control think-tank in Washington.
He earned his master’s degree in international relations from The University of Chicago and a bachelor's degree in International Affairs and Middle East Studies from The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs.
Leveraging his subject-matter expertise and native Persian-language skills, Taleblu closely tracks a wide range of Iran-related topics.
These areas include nuclear non-proliferation, ballistic missiles and drones, sanctions, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its proxies, the foreign and security policy of the Islamic Republic, and internal Iranian politics.
He frequently briefs journalists, congressional staff, diplomatic, military, academic, and policy audiences globally.
Taleblu has also testified before various committees in the U.S. Congress, the Canadian Parliament, and the UK House of Commons.
His analysis has been quoted by numerous media outlets, and he has contributed to articles for publications such as Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and The Wall Street Journal
About FDD
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) is a Washington, DC-based nonpartisan 501(c)(3) research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy. FDD does not accept donations from any foreign governments.
FDD conducts in-depth research, produces accurate and timely analyses, identifies illicit activities, and provides policy options — all with the aim of strengthening U.S. national security and reducing or eliminating threats posed by adversaries and enemies of the United States and other free nations.
Founded shortly after the attacks of September 11, 2001, FDD conducts actionable research prepared by experts and scholars from a variety of backgrounds — including government, intelligence, military, private sector, academia, and journalism. It brings proficiency in foreign languages, law, finance, technology, and other skills to its work.
FDD regularly provides open-source research and analyses to policymakers and the media. Since its founding, FDD has shared its expertise with the Bush, Obama, Biden, and Trump administrations and congressional offices on a bipartisan basis.
In addition to its in-house experts, FDD collaborates with and seeks counsel from a range of distinguished advisors. FDD houses three Centers on American Power: the Center on Military and Political Power, the Center on Economic and Financial Power, and the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation.