University of Tehran | Iran
Prof. Elaheh Koolaee has held prominent academic and leadership roles throughout her distinguished career at the University of Tehran, where she has served as Professor since 1988. She is the long-standing Director of the Center for Central Eurasia Studies (2005–present) and has twice led the Regional Studies Department (2007–2010; 2015–2019). As Editor-in-Chief of the Central Eurasia Studies Journal and a member of several editorial boards in political science and regional studies, she has significantly shaped scholarly discourse in her field. Her public service includes serving as an Advisor to the Center for Strategic Studies of the Presidential Office (1990) and representing Tehran in the Islamic Consultative Assembly (2000–2004), where she chaired the Iran–Finland and Iran–Russia Parliamentarian Friendship Groups and contributed to national policy through the Commission on Islamic Human Rights, women’s policy councils, and civic and educational bodies. She has also held executive responsibilities within the Participation Front of Iran political party. Academically, Prof. Koolaee has taught extensively across undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs, offering courses on Soviet and Russian politics, Central Asia, Eurasian geopolitics, Iran’s foreign policy, Caspian Sea studies, Third World political and economic issues, and women’s political and social rights. Her international experience includes a fellowship in Edinburgh (2009) and a sabbatical at North Carolina State University in the United States (2011–12). Her research interests span Iran–Russia relations, Eurasian geopolitics, Central Asia and South Caucasus studies, foreign policy analysis, women’s political development in Iran, regionalism and security complexes, as well as science diplomacy and international cooperation.
Featured Publications
Koolaee, E., & Hafezian, M. H. (2010). The Islamic Republic of Iran and the South Caucasus republics. Iranian Studies, 43(3), 391–409.
Koolaee, E., & Abedi, A. (2018). Geopolitical components of the Russian foreign policy. Geopolitics Quarterly, 14(49), 1–25.
Koolaee, E. (2014). The impact of the Iraq–Iran war on social roles of Iranian women. Middle East Critique, 23(3), 277–291.
Koolaee, E. (2016). Women in the parliament. In Women, power and politics in 21st century Iran (pp. 137–151).
Koolaee, E. (1997). Politics and government in Central Asia. SAMT Publications.
Koolaee, E., Mousavi, H., & Abedi, A. (2020). Fluctuations in Iran–Russia relations during the past four decades. Iran and the Caucasus, 24(2), 216–232.
Koolaee, E., Ebrahimi, A., & Shirazi, M. S. (2014). Iran and Kazakhstan relations: A geopolitical analysis. Iranian Review of Foreign Affairs, 4(4), 89–112.
Koolaee, E. (2009). Iranian women from private sphere to public sphere, with focus on parliament. Iran and the Caucasus, 13(2), 401–414.
Koolaee, E., & Sedaghat, M. (2017). Ukraine crisis and the Russian military doctrine. Central Eurasia Studies, 10(1), 205–220.
Koolaee, E., & Imani-Kalesar, M. (2010). India’s energy security strategy towards the Caspian Sea region. China & Eurasia Forum Quarterly, 8(1).
Koolaee, E. (2010). Islamic Republic of Iran and the geopolitics of the South Caucasus. Geopolitics Quarterly, 6(17), 75–111.
Koolaee, E. (2008). Iran’s role in energy security at regional and global levels. Iranian Economic Review, 15(28), 95–115.