Strategic Perspectives Through Research and Dialogue
Home Authors Posts by Arhama Siddiqa

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 “Re-Building Bridges: Saudi Engagement with Iraq”

Several diplomatic visits have taken place between leaders of Saudi Arabia and Iraq in recent months. In February  2017, Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia’s minister...

Issue Brief on “The Qatar-Gulf Rift: Impacts on the Migrant Community”

In June 2017, several countries, spearheaded by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic ties and cut off sea and...

Issue Brief on “Regional Realignment in the Red Sea”

Two small, deserted islands, Tiran and Sanafir, lie between Egypt and Saudi Arabia at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba. Recently, Egypt’s parliament...

Issue Brief on “Qatar-Gulf Rift: Going Beyond a War of Words”

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates broke off relations with Qatar on June 5, 2017 in what is being seen as...

Issue Brief on “Libyan Civil War: A Growing Inferno”

More than six years after Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown, chaos still reigns in Libya. Fighting erupted between rival militias in Tripoli in the last...

Issue Brief on “Abbas-Trump Meeting: A Pointless Endeavor”

On 3 May 3,2017 Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas arrived at the White House with one purpose in mind: to present himself and his...

Seminar on “Pakistan Relations with Central Asian Republics & Azerbaijan: Prospects and Challenges” (Press...

Seminar on "Pakistan Relations with Central Asian Republics & Azerbaijan: Prospects and Challenges" Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad May 11, 2017 “Leadership from Pakistan and the Central Asian Republics...

Issue Brief on “Intra Syrian Talks – Round Four: Grappling with Peace”

The fourth round of intra-Syrian talks were held in Kazakhstan’s capital of Astana from May 3 to 4. Delegations of the ceasefire guarantor states,...

Issue Brief on “Turkey Referendum 2017: A Democratic Quest?”

“Don’t beat the air... it is too late now”. This was stated by President Erdogan, of Turkey in his post referendum victory speech. In...

The New Arab Wars: Uprisings and Anarchy in the Middle, Publisher: Public Affairs, New...

It is hard to identify the exact moment that the Muslim world cracked, provoking talk of a third world war. The exact date can...