Yerevan Saeed
Non-Resident Fellow, AGSI; Mustafa Barzani Scholar In Residence and Director, Global Kurdish Initiative, American University
ysaeed@American.eduYerevan Saeed is a non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington as well as the Barzani Scholar In-Residence and director of the Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace at the School of International Service of American University. He is a TEDx speaker and former lecturer at the University of Kurdistan Hewler. Saeed previously was a visiting scholar and research associate at AGSIW. Saeed is a political analyst who researches and writes on security, political, and energy issues in the Middle East, focusing on Iraq, Turkey, Iran, the Gulf, and the Levant. He has served as White House correspondent for the Kurdish Rudaw TV, and his work has been published in the Washington Institute’s Fikra Forum, the Diplomatic Courier, The New York Times, the London-based Majalla magazine, Rudaw, Global Politician, and several Kurdish newspapers. In addition, he has been interviewed by Voice of America, NPR, CNN, Voice of Russia, and Kurdish television programs and newspapers. From 2009-13, Saeed worked with Stratfor; additionally, he worked for several media outlets, including The New York Times, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, BBC, and The Guardian, as a journalist and translator in Iraq from 2003-07.
Saeed holds a bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Texas at Austin and a master’s degree from Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, with a focus on Middle East studies and international negotiation and conflict resolution. He received his PhD from the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University. He speaks Kurdish and Arabic and has a command of Farsi.
Analysis
BP’s Return to Kirkuk
A new deal between the Iraqi government and BP to develop oil fields in Iraq's most contested province could rekindle a century-old flame between Baghdad and Erbil.
China’s Rise in Iraq’s Energy Sector: From Newcomer to Dominant Player
While Iraqi leaders consistently emphasize the importance of Western investment in their energy sector, their actions instead are increasing Iraq’s dependence on Chinese markets and oil firms.
The Kurdish View on the U.S. Election
Iraq’s Kurdish population may benefit more from a consistent U.S. foreign policy under Harris than the unpredictability of another Trump term.
May 1, 2024
Erdogan’s Landmark Baghdad Visit Signals Support for Ambitious Infrastructure Project
The Development Road project, a joint venture among Iraq, Turkey, the UAE, and Qatar, could reshape economic and geopolitical contours in the Middle East, but substantial challenges will remain ahead.
Iraqi Provincial Elections Could Come With Major Political and Security Ramifications
The victory of pro-Iranian groups in Iraq’s provincial elections could exacerbate internal political tensions and raise concerns about regional stability.
Iraq’s Supreme Court Removes Parliamentary Speaker
Mohammed al-Halbousi's ousting as speaker of parliament opens the door for Sunni adversaries to rise to power and could help consolidate the influence of Shia political movements in Iraq.
