<?php
$_content = '<p>As big a threat as ISIS is, the competition that truly defines the Middle East is the one between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Where do we fit in?<br clear="all"></p>';
$_content = trim(preg_replace(array('#<p[^>]*>#i', '#</p>#i', '#<br[^>]*>#i','#</br>#i'), '', $_content));
echo $_content;