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Arhama Siddiqa


Research Fellow

Areas of Research:

Iranian foreign policy, GCC politics, and wider Middle East geopolitics

Ms Arhama Siddiqa is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and a PhD candidate in International Relations at Quaid-e-Azam University. She holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Political Science & Economics from LUMS (2013), an MA in International Political Economy from the University of Warwick (2014), and an MPhil in International Relations from QAU (2023).

Her research focuses on geopolitics, regional security, and international political economy, with publications in peer-reviewed journals and contributions to leading outlets such as The Express Tribune, South Asian Voices, Middle East Monitor, Middle East Eye, and the Al Jazeera Centre for Studies. She has presented papers at major international forums, including the Gulf Research Meeting at Cambridge University (2024) and the Gulf Studies Symposium at Georgetown University (2025).

In addition to her research, she has editorial experience with volumes on Afghanistan, Pakistan’s strategic frontiers, and Middle Eastern affairs. She is also a Commonwealth Professional Fellow (2017) and an active participant in global policy dialogues, including the Tehran Dialogue Forum and Doha Forum.

 

Mail arhama.siddiqa@issi.org.pk

Issue Brief on “A Pause in Islamabad”

On 28 February 2026, when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, they triggered a six-week war that quickly spread beyond a...

Issue Brief on “Pakistan’s Mediation and Strategic Balancing in the Iran–US–Israel Conflict”

On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel carried out coordinated strikes on Iran, targeting senior leadership and strategic facilities in what marked...

Issue Brief on “Syria and the Kurdish Question: Recent Developments and Regional Implications”

On 18 January 2026, the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reached a ceasefire agreement following days of clashes in northeastern...

Issue Brief on “Yemen in Focus: An Enduring Crisis”

On 2 December 2025, forces affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Yemen launched a coordinated advance across multiple southern governorates, rapidly expanding...

Issue Brief on “Pakistan–Saudi Arabia Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement: Continuity, Context, and Strategic Implications”

On 17 September 2025, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia further elevated their long-standing security partnership by signing a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) during the...

Issue Brief on “Forging Regional Connectivity and Cooperation: Strategic Significance of President Pezeshkian’s Visit...

The visit of Iranian President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian to Pakistan on 2-3 August 2025 marks another significant development in the long-standing relations between the...

Issue Brief on “The Changing U.S.–Syria Dynamics: A Strategic Realignment”

After more than a decade of civil war, economic collapse, and international isolation, Syria entered a new chapter when Bashar al-Assad was deposed by...

Issue Brief on “From Mediation to Solidarity: Middle Eastern Responses to India’s Aggression Against...

On April 22, 2025, an attack in Pahalgam, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), resulted in the death of 26 tourists. Without holding...

Issue Brief on “Recent Escalation of Israeli Military Actions”

On March 18, 2025, Israel launched yet another round of unrelenting aerial and ground assaults on the besieged Gaza Strip, in what is being...

Issue Brief on “Russia-Iran Strategic Partnership: Forging New Avenues in Geopolitics”

On January 17, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a 20-year “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty” in Moscow, marking a...