Ms. Zeinab Nikookar

Affiliate Researcher, London Dialogue
Zeinab Nikookar is a researcher at the Centre for Middle East and Security Studies (CMESS), Tehran and serves as a Commissioning Editor at E-International Relations. She holds an MA with Distinction in Muslim Cultures from Aga Khan University, London, where her thesis examined the impact of international sanctions on Iran’s military power.
Her research specialises in Iran’s nuclear programme, strategic doctrine, sanctions and strategic adaptation, deterrence theory, Middle East geopolitics, arms control, and critical approaches to international relations. Her work has been published in the British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, and her forthcoming book chapter, “Sanctions and Strategic Adaptation: Assessing Iran’s Military Power,” will appear in an edited volume published by Syracuse University Press.
Zeinab has presented her research at leading international academic and policy forums, including the British International Studies Association (BISA) and the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies in Doha. She has also participated in the Doha Forum and the Doha Youth Forum, engaging with policymakers, diplomats, and scholars on issues of regional security and global governance. Her policy commentary has featured in Chatham House’s Common Futures Conversations, and she has provided expert analysis to international and regional media, including Al Jazeera, on Iran’s nuclear policy, regional security, and Middle Eastern geopolitics.
At London Dialogue, Zeinab contributes to research on Iran’s strategic posture, nuclear politics, regional security, sanctions, arms control, and the evolving balance of power in the Middle East. Her work supports the institute’s commitment to advancing evidence-based policy research and informed dialogue on contemporary security and strategic affairs.