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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 “Shifting Frontlines: Syria-Israel Dynamics after the fall of Bashar al-Assad”

The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024 has ushered in a new chapter in Syria’s political landscape, significantly impacting regional stability, particularly...

Issue Brief on “From Gaza to Beirut: The Intensification of the Israel-Lebanon Conflict”

A year ago, on October 7, 2023, the Middle East region saw the resurgence of intense conflict. An unexpected attack by Hamas on Israel...

Issue Brief on “China’s expanding influence in the Middle East: The path to...

The increasing influence of China in the Middle East cannot be disputed and can be attributed to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), concerted...

Issue Brief on “A Snapshot of Elections in Iran 2024”

On July 30, 2024, Dr. Masood Pezeshkian, former health Minister, will assume office as the 9th President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He...

Issue Brief on “The 10th Ministerial meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF):...

In the past decade, China has significantly expanded its diplomatic and commercial footprint in the Middle East. Chinese investment in the Middle East mostly...

Issue Brief on “Fueling Progress: The Iran-Pakistan (IP) Gas Pipeline”

On March 13 2024, Pakistan announced the construction on an 80-kilometer (49-mile) segment of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, also known as the 'Peace Pipeline,'...

Issue Brief on “A Panoramic View of South Africa’s Case at the International Court...

The conflict in Gaza, which commenced on 7 October 2023, has now surpassed 100 days. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the death toll has...

Issue Brief on “Israel-Hamas Conflict: Houthi Red Sea Attacks and Global Implications”

The onset of drone and missile attacks by the Houthis towards southern Israel in October 2023 coinciding with the outbreak of war on October...

Issue Brief on “A Regional Snapshot of the Ongoing Palestinian Crisis”

On October 7, 2023, a significant turning point occurred in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict when the Al-Qassam Brigade, the military arm of Hamas, initiated an...

Issue Brief on “President Putin’s Middle East Sojourn 2023”

In a rare diplomatic initiative on 6 December 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin embarked on a Middle East tour, commencing with visits to the...