Zubir R. Ahmed

Biography

Zubir R. Ahmed is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) at Salahaddin University and at the same time a Research Fellow at the Center for Political & Strategic Studies- (CPSS). He has research expertise in International Relations and Security Studies, with particular attention to Iraq, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Syria, and has a special interest in Kurdish political dynamics. Zubir obtained his B.A. and M.A in Political Science from Salahaddin University in Erbil, and his PhD from the University of Exeter, UK after successfully submitting a thesis entitled “Rebuilding the Iraqi State: The Regional Dimensions of Ethnic & Sectarian Conflict in Post-2003 Iraq”. He has been a lecturer at Salahaddin University since 2009. Zubir was a Board Member of Center for Studies and Survey (SARINJ) from 2006 to 2011, and an Editor at Iraq Media Net. He is a regular columnist at Rudaw and other KRI-based outlets:[https://www.rudaw.net/sorani/authors/zuber_rasul] . Zubir authored three books ‘’Civil Society and State, Problematic Relations- Iraq as a case study’’  2010 (in Arabic); "Kurdistan Region and Its Neighbours, What Type of Engagement" (2022 in Kurdish); and "The foundation of the KRI's Regional and International Relations" (2024 in Kurdish). 

Research Interest

Middle East politics; Iraq and its Neighbors; Kurdish Politics.  

Publications

• Internal Challenges to the Role of Peshmerga Forces in the State Building Process in the Kurdistan Region after 2003 

Ramadhan Ahmed Rasheed and Zubir R. Ahmed (Vol 24, No 41 (2026)  Zanco Journal of Law and Politics گۆڤاری زانكۆ بۆ یاساو رامیاری, 223–255. <<https://doi.org/10.21271/zjlp.24.41.10 >>.  

• GCC–Kurdistan Region Relations: The Role of Iran–Saudi Arabia Geopolitical Rivalry

Presented Article for: Kurdish Studies Conference, 11–13 June 2025, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). will be published on Volume 30, Issue [5], in (15,10, 2026) of Zanco Journal of Human Sciences. 

• Institution-Building as State-Building in Weak States: Iraq as a Case Study

ZR Ahmed, HA Eahya; [QALAAI ZANIST SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL 9 (4), 1291-1319] 2024

• The relationship between democracy and state-building in Iraq after 2003. ZR Ahmed, HA Eahya; [Twejer Journal 7 (3), 1594-1621]2024
• The Drivers of the Development of China-KRI Relations/ Zubir R. Ahmed

Twejer Journal 7 (1), 789-808/ 2024.

• پاڵنەری گەشەکردنی پەیوەندییەکانی چین و هەرێمی کوردستان [The Drivers for the development of China-Kurdistan relations]‎ Z.R Ahmed/ Twejer Journal 7 (1) 2024.
• بنەمای پەیوەندییە هەرێمی و نێودەولەتییەکانی هەرێمی کوردستان ( Published book in Kurdish language)

Zubir R. Ahmed- 2024

•  The Syrian Crisis in The Perspective of the (Principle of the Responsibility to Protect)

ZR Ahmed, BI Ibrahim/ QALAAI ZANIST SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL 7 (2), 161-199- 2022

• Iraqi Kurds and Iran: A New Era of Relations/ Zubir R. Ahmed

Al Sharq Strategic Research/ 2022

• هەرێمی کوردستان و دراوسێکانی، چ جۆرە پەیوەندییەک ( Published book in Kurdish language)

ZR Ahmed/ 2022. 

• THE DANGERS AND IMPLICATIONS OF A PROBABLE FULL US WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ/ Zubir R. Ahmed and Nawzad Abdullah

Al Sharq Strategic Research/ 2022

• هەرێمی کوردستان و سوریا: کێشەزای پەیوەندییەکان (١٩٩٢-٢٠٢٠) [KRG and Syria: Problematic Relations (1992-2020)]‎ Zubir R. Ahmed and Jeelea S. Ismael

Twejer Journal 4 (2) 2021

• THE BAGDAD CONFERENCE: PREPARATION FOR U.S. WITHDRAWAL OR THE BROKERING OF A NEW REGIONAL BALANCE? EXPERT BRIEF

ZR Ahmed/ Al Sharq Strategic Research/ 2021

• The Future of Minorities in Post-ISIL Iraq/ ZM Khidhir, R Zsolt, ZR Ahmed

Journal of University of Raparin 8 (1), 290-309/ 2021

•  بنەمای پەیوەندییەکانی هەرێمی کوردستان و روسیا  (The Foundation of Russia-KRG Relations)‎

ZR Ahmed/ Center for future studies 3 (11 December 2020), 131-154/ 2020

• بنەمای پەیوەندییەکانی هەرێمی کوردستان و وڵاتە یەکگرتووەکانی ئەمریکا‎ 

Zubir R. Ahmed/ Twejer Journal/ 2020

• پاڵنەری سەرەکی پەیوەندیەکانی ئێران و هەرێمی کوردستان The Main Driver of Iran-KRI Relations‎

ZR Ahmed/ گۆڤاری زانکۆ بۆ یاسا و رامیار28‎/ 2020

• -هەرێمی کوردستان و وڵاتانی کەنداو، پەیوەندییەکی پێناسە نەکراو ( KRI and GCC, Undefined Relations) Zubir R. Ahmed/ QALAAI ZANIST SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL 5 (1), 1-19/ 2020
• The Foundations of the US-KRG Relations/ Twejer Journal 3 (3), 337-378/ 2020
• Turkey and Kurdistan region: economy or security, which one Turkey seeks? 

Twejer Journal 3 (2), 225-276/ 2020

• Rebuilding the Iraqi State: The Regional Dimension of Ethno-Sectarian Conflict (2003-2016) ZR Ahmed [PhD thesis]. Submitted to Exeter University (UK).

PQDT-UK & Ireland/ 2017

•  ئۆپۆزسیۆنی سیاسی لە هەرێمی کوردستاندا: خوێندنەوەیێکی سیاسی بۆ چەمک و سەرهەلدانی ئۆپۆزسیۆنی سیاسی لە هەرێمی کوردستاندا (١٩٩١-٢٠٠٩)‎

گۆڤاری رۆشنگەری‎/ 2010

• المجتمع المدني والدولة اشكالية العلاقة: (ألعراق كحالة للدراسة) (book published in Arabic language) ‎

ZR Ahmed/ Publisher: مؤسسة الفكر والوعي 1, 350‎/ 2008

• Christians in the Nineveh Plains: Focusing on Possible Self-Governance for Minorities. ZM Khidhir, R Zsolt, ZR Ahmed

Teaching

• Scientific Research Methodology 

CAD and PORTOFLIO

Research Interest

International Relations and Security Studies, with particular attention to Iraq, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Syria, as well as a special interest in Kurdish political dynamics. 

Research Interest

Publications

Teaching