Staff profile

Professor Anoush Ehteshami is Professor of International Relations in the School of Government and International Affairs, Durham University. He is also the Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah Chair in International Relations and Director of the HH Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah Programme in International Relations, Regional Politics and Security. He is, further, Director of the Institute for Middle Eastern & Islamic Studies (IMEIS) at Durham, one of the oldest and noted centres of excellence in Middle Eastern studies in Europe. He acts as Co-director (2016-2021) of the £3.9 million AHRC-funded Open Worlds Initiative entitled Cross-Language Dynamics: Reshaping Community. Previously (2006-2016), he acted as Joint Director of the nationally (RCUK)-funded Durham-Edinburgh-Manchester Universities’ research and training Centre for the Advanced Study of the Arab World (CASAW).

He was Durham University’s first Dean of Internationalization, 2009-2011, and was the founding Head of the School of Government and International Affairs (2004-9). He has been a Fellow of the World Economic Forum, and served as a member of the WEF’s foremost body, the Global Agenda Councils, 2010-12, focusing on energy. He was Vice-President and Chair of Council of the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (BRISMES) 2000-2003. He is Editor of two major book series on the Middle East and the wider Muslim world, and is member of Editorial Board of seven international journals.

• Persian Gulf
• International relations of the Middle East
• Security and strategic studies of the Middle East
• China and BRI
• Geopolitics of Eurasia

• 2002: Fellow of the World Economic Forum. Have acted as consultant to the RAND Corporation; External Relations DG, European Commission; Oxford Analytica; International Institute for Startegic Studies. In 2002/3: Member, Panel of Experts, Global Survey of Civil-:

Authored book

• Islam, IS and the Fragmented State
  
  Ehteshami, A., Rasheed, A., & Beaujouan, J. (2020). Islam, IS and the Fragmented State. Routledge.
• How China's Rise is Changing the Middle East
  
  Ehteshami, A., & Horesh, N. (2019). How China’s Rise is Changing the Middle East. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429288425
• Iran: Stuck in Transition.
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2017). Iran: Stuck in Transition. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315271569
• The Foreign Policies of Middle East States
  
  Hinnebusch, R. A., & Ehteshami, A. (2014). The Foreign Policies of Middle East States. Lynne Reinner Publisher.
• The Changing Nature of Shia Politics in the Contemporary Middle East
  
  Ehteshami, A., & Zweiri, M. (2013). The Changing Nature of Shia Politics in the Contemporary Middle East. Ithaca Press.
• Dynamics of Change in the Persian Gulf: Political Economy, War and Revolution
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2013). Dynamics of Change in the Persian Gulf: Political Economy, War and Revolution. Routledge.
• The International Politics of the Red Sea.
  
  Ehteshami, A., & Murphy, E. (2011). The International Politics of the Red Sea. Routledge.
• Iran and the Rise of its Neoconservatives: The Politics of Tehran's Silent Revolution
  
  Ehteshami, A., & Zweiri, M. (2007). Iran and the Rise of its Neoconservatives: The Politics of Tehran’s Silent Revolution. I.B. Tauris.
• Globalization and Geopolitics in the Middle East: Old Games, New Rules
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2007). Globalization and Geopolitics in the Middle East: Old Games, New Rules. Routledge.
• The Foreign Policies of Middle East States
  
  Ehteshami, A., & Rienner, L. (2002). The Foreign Policies of Middle East States. Lynne Rienner Publishers.
• Iran's Security Policy in the Post-Revolutionary Era.
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2001). Iran’s Security Policy in the Post-Revolutionary Era. Rand Corporation.
• Political Economy of European Union- Middle East Relations
  
  Ehteshami, A. (1999). Political Economy of European Union- Middle East Relations.
• Syria and Iran: Middle Powers in a Penetrated Regional System
  
  Ehteshami, A., & Hinnebusch, R. (1997). Syria and Iran: Middle Powers in a Penetrated Regional System. Routledge.
• Globalization, 9/11 and the Middle East
  
  Ehteshami, A. (n.d.). Globalization, 9/11 and the Middle East [Contracted by publisher]. Lynne Rienner.

Chapter in book

• MENA Region: Security and Regional Governance
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2012). MENA Region: Security and Regional Governance. In S. Breslin & S. Croft (Eds.), Comparative Regional Security Governance. (pp. 131-153). Routledge.
• Iranian Perspectives on the Global Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2010). Iranian Perspectives on the Global Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. In B. M. B. Blechman & K. Alexander (Eds.), National Perspectives on Nuclear Disarmament: Unblocking the Road to Zero (pp. 87-112). Stimson Centre.
• 'Iran's Regional Policies since the End of the Cold War'
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2009). ’Iran’s Regional Policies since the End of the Cold War’. In A. Gheissari (Ed.), Contemporary Iran. (pp. 324-348). Oxford University Press.
• 2005: The Year of Crisis in Iran
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2006). 2005: The Year of Crisis in Iran. In A. Sagar, C. Koch, & H. T. Ibrahim (Eds.), Gulf yearbook 2005-2006. (pp. 349-355). Gulf Research Center.
• 'The Middle East: Between Ideology and Geopolitics'.
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2006). ’The Middle East: Between Ideology and Geopolitics’. In M. Buckley & R. Singh (Eds.), The Bush Doctrine and the War on Terrorism: Global Responses, Global Consequences. (pp. 104-120). Routledge.
• 'The Future of Iran's Defense and Nuclear Policy'.
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2006). ’The Future of Iran’s Defense and Nuclear Policy’. In W. Posch (Ed.), Iranian Challenges (pp. 73-85). EU Institute for Security Studies.
• 'The Middle east and Security Strategy'.
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2006). ’The Middle east and Security Strategy’. In R. Dannreuther & J. Peterson (Eds.), Security Strategy and Transatlantic Relations (pp. 78-96). Routledge.
• 'Islam as a Political Force in International Relations'
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2005). ’Islam as a Political Force in International Relations’. In N. Lahoud & A. Johns (Eds.), Islam in world politics. (pp. 29-53). Routledge.
• 'Iran, the GCC and Europe: Alternative Strategies'.
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2005). ’Iran, the GCC and Europe: Alternative Strategies’. In C. Koch & F. Neugart (Eds.), A Window of Opportunity: Europe, Gulf Security and the Aftermath of the Iraq War. (pp. 39-52). Gulf Research Centre.
• 'GCC-Iran Relations'
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2005). ’GCC-Iran Relations’. In Gulf Yearbook 2004 (pp. 181-186). Gulf Research Center.
• The Middle East� � Iran and Israel
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2002). The Middle East� � Iran and Israel. In M. Webber & M. Smith (Eds.), Foreign Policy in a Transformed World (pp. 255-286). Prentice Hall.
• 'The Foreign Policy of Iran'
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2002). ’The Foreign Policy of Iran’. In R. A. Hinnebusch & A. Ehteshami (Eds.), The foreign policies of Middle East states. (pp. 283-309). Lynne Rienner.
• Tehran's Tocsin
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2002). Tehran’s Tocsin. In A. T. Lennon (Ed.), Contemporary Nuclear Debates: Missile Defense, Arms Control, and Arms Races in the Twenty-First Century (pp. 151-157). Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press.

Conference Paper

• Communications of Ancient China to the West from an Archaeological Perspective
  
  Zhang, R. (2017). Communications of Ancient China to the West from an Archaeological Perspective. In L. . E. Andersen, A. Ehteshami, M. Sunuodula, & Y. Jiang (Eds.), ’One Belt, One Road’ and China’s Westward Pivot: Past, Present and Future (pp. 62-68). Danish Institute for International Studies.

Edited book

• The Emerging Middle East- East Asia Nexus
  
  Ehteshami, A., & Miyagi, Y. (Eds.). (2015). The Emerging Middle East- East Asia Nexus. Routledge.
• Reform in the Middle East Oil Monarchies.
  
  Ehteshami, A., & Wright, S. (Eds.). (2008). Reform in the Middle East Oil Monarchies. Ithaca Press.
• Iran's Foreign Policy: From Khatemi to Ahmadinejad.
  
  Ehteshami, A., & Zweiri, M. (Eds.). (2008). Iran’s Foreign Policy: From Khatemi to Ahmadinejad. Garnet Publishing.

Journal Article

• Iran’s Asianization.
  
  Ehteshami, A., & Bahgat, G. (in press). Iran’s Asianization. Middle East Journal.
• Collision Course: How Iran and Israel Brought the Middle East to the Brink of War
  
  Pinfold, R. G., Jones, C., & Ehteshami, A. (2025). Collision Course: How Iran and Israel Brought the Middle East to the Brink of War. Global Policy, 16(2), 289-298. https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.70004
• Iranian proxies in the Syrian conflict: Tehran’s ‘forward-defence’ in action
  
  Akbarzadeh, S., Gourlay, W., & Ehteshami, A. (2023). Iranian proxies in the Syrian conflict: Tehran’s ‘forward-defence’ in action. Journal of Strategic Studies, 46(3), 683-706. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402390.2021.2023014
• ASIANISATION OF ASIA: CHINESE-IRANIAN RELATIONS IN PERSPECTIVE
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2022). ASIANISATION OF ASIA: CHINESE-IRANIAN RELATIONS IN PERSPECTIVE. Asian Affairs, 53(1), 8-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/03068374.2022.2029037
• Saudi Arabia as a Resurgent Regional Power
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2018). Saudi Arabia as a Resurgent Regional Power. International Spectator, 53(4), 75-94. https://doi.org/10.1080/03932729.2018.1507722
• Gold at the end of the rainbow? The BRI and the Middle East
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2018). Gold at the end of the rainbow? The BRI and the Middle East. Global Policy, 9(3), 387-397. https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.12552
• Iran's role in the Gulf: beyond politics
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2018). Iran’s role in the Gulf: beyond politics. Orient., II, 39-48.
• Chinese-Iranian Mutual Strategic Perceptions
  
  Ehteshami, A., Horesh, N., & Xu, R. (2018). Chinese-Iranian Mutual Strategic Perceptions. The China Journal = Chung-Kuo Yen Chiu., 79, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1086/693315
• Iran’s Defense Strategy: The Navy, Ballistic Missiles and Cyberspace
  
  Bahgat, G., & Ehteshami, A. (2017). Iran’s Defense Strategy: The Navy, Ballistic Missiles and Cyberspace. Middle East Policy, 24(3), 89-103. https://doi.org/10.1111/mepo.12292
• Regionalization, Pan-Asian Relations, and the Middle East
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2015). Regionalization, Pan-Asian Relations, and the Middle East. East Asia, 32(3), 223-237. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12140-015-9233-7
• 'The Rise of Neoconservatives in Iran'.
  
  Ehteshami, A., & Zweiri, M. (2009). ’The Rise of Neoconservatives in Iran’. Geopolitical Affairs, 1(1), 157-172.
• 'Opinion: The reform agenda in the Arab world'.
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2008). ’Opinion: The reform agenda in the Arab world’. Contemporary Arab Affairs, 1(1), 85-90. https://doi.org/10.1080/17550910701812271
• 'Political Change in the Arab Oil Monarchies: From Liberalization to Enfranchisement'.
  
  Ehteshami, A., & Wright, S. (2007). ’Political Change in the Arab Oil Monarchies: From Liberalization to Enfranchisement’. International Affairs, 83(5), 913-932. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2346.2007.00662.x
• 'Il Jihad Globale e la Guerra Diffusa'.
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2007). ’Il Jihad Globale e la Guerra Diffusa’. Gnosis: Rivista Italiana Di Intelligence, 13(1), 87-96.
• 'The Democratisation Process in the Gulf Co-operation Council Countries'
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2005). ’The Democratisation Process in the Gulf Co-operation Council Countries’. JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS., 22(86), 56-69.
• 'Islam, Muslim Polities and Democracy'
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2004). ’Islam, Muslim Polities and Democracy’. Democratization, 11(4), 90-110. https://doi.org/10.1080/1351034042000234549
• 'Iran's International Posture After the Fall of Baghdad'
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2004). ’Iran’s International Posture After the Fall of Baghdad’. Middle East Journal, 58(2), 179-194.
• 'Oil, Arms Procurement and Security in the Persian Gulf'
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2003). ’Oil, Arms Procurement and Security in the Persian Gulf’. Asian Affairs, 34(3), 260-270. https://doi.org/10.1080/0306837032000136297
• 'Iran-Iraq Relations After Saddam'
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2003). ’Iran-Iraq Relations After Saddam’. Washington Quarterly, 26(4), 115-129.
• 'Reform From Above: The Politics of Participation in the Oil Monarchies'
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2003). ’Reform From Above: The Politics of Participation in the Oil Monarchies’. International Affairs, 79(1), 53-75. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2346.00295
• Is the Middle East Democratizing?
  
  Ehteshami, A. (1999). Is the Middle East Democratizing?. British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 26(2), 199-217. https://doi.org/10.1080/13530199908705683
• Defence and Security Policies of Syria in a Changing Regional Environment
  
  Ehteshami, A. (1996). Defence and Security Policies of Syria in a Changing Regional Environment. International Relations, 13(1), 49-67. https://doi.org/10.1177/004711789601300103

Monograph

• 'Competing Powerbrokers of the Middle East:Iran and Saudi Arabia'.
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2008). ’Competing Powerbrokers of the Middle East:Iran and Saudi Arabia’. Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research.

Working Paper

• 9/11 As a Cause of Paradigm Shift?
  
  Ehteshami, A. (2007). 9/11 As a Cause of Paradigm Shift?.
• The politics of economic restructuring in post-Khomeini Iran
  
  Ehteshami, A. (1995). The politics of economic restructuring in post-Khomeini Iran.