Yerevan Saeed, PhD
Lecturer
Overview
Yerevan Saeed is a lecturer of Political Economy and Conflict Analysis and Resolution at the University of Kurdistan Hewlêr (UKH). Dr. Saeed became a UKH faculty member in September 2022 joining the Department of Politics and International Relations at the School of Social Sciences. He is also a research associate at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington and 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, Al-Jazeera English, NPR, CNN, Voice of Russia, al-Hurra, and Kurdish television programs and newspapers. From 2009-13, Dr. Saeed worked with Strategic Forecasting for Global Intelligence; 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 Ph.D. from the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University. He speaks Kurdish and Arabic and has a command of Farsi.
Education
- - PhD at Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, George Mason University, Virginia, USA 2022
- - Master of Arts at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Boston, USA 2013
- - Bachelor of Arts in Government at the University of Texas-Austin, USA, 2009
Publications
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2022) “Kurdistan’s Gas Exports: Reality or Mirage?,” The Arab Gulf Institute in Washington. https://agsiw.org/kurdistans-gas-exports-reality-or-mirage/ |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2022) "With a President in Place, Can Iraq Finally Form a Government?," The Arab Gulf Institute in Washington. https://agsiw.org/with-a-president-in-place-can-iraq-finally-form-a-government/ |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2022) “Empowered by His Missteps, Shia Rivals Force Sadr to Back Down – For Now”. The Arab Gulf Institute in Washington. https://agsiw.org/empowered-by-his-missteps-shia-rivals-force-sadr-to-back-down-for-now/ |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2022) “Pro-Sadr Protests Exacerbate Risky Political Impasse in Iraq”. The Arab Gulf Institute in Washington. https://agsiw.org/pro-sadr-protests-exacerbate-risky-political-impasse-in-iraq/ |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2022) “Inscrutable Ambitions: Sadr’s Exit From Iraq’s Parliament Strengthens Rivals”. The Arab Gulf Institute in Washington. https://agsiw.org/inscrutable-ambitions-sadrs-exit-from-iraqs-parliament-strengthens-rivals/ |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2022) “The KRG’s Reforms Have Come a Long Way, but There’s Still More To Do”. The Middle East Institute. https://www.mei.edu/publications/economic-diversification-and-energy-transition-iraq-and-gulf |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2022) “Iraq's Anti-Normalization Law Could Prove a Risky Political Stunt” The Arab Gulf Institute in Washington. https://agsiw.org/iraqs-anti-normalization-law-could-prove-a-risky-political-stunt/ |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2022) “Pressure Mounts to Form Iraqi Government”. The Arab Gulf Institute in Washington. https://agsiw.org/pressure-mounts-to-form-iraqi-government/ |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2022) “Hard-Fought Iraqi Presidential Contest Signals Fraught Government Formation Ahead”. The Arab Gulf Institute in Washington. https://agsiw.org/hard-fought-iraqi-presidential-contest-signals-fraught-government-formation-ahead/ |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2021) “Kurds Are Fleeing Iraq in the Face of Uncertainty“. The Washington Institute for near east policy. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/kurds-are-fleeing-iraq-face-uncertainty |
| Saeed, Yerevan, Salih, Mohammed, and Mustafa, Ruwyada, (2021)” The Biden Administration Needs to Support Kurds“. Fikra Forum, the Washington Institute for near east policy. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/biden-administration-needs-support-kurds |
| Saeed, Yerevan (2021). “Baghdad’s Deepening Reengagement With the Gulf: Hostage to Government Formation”. The Arab Gulf Institute in Washington. https://agsiw.org/baghdads-deepening-reengagement-with-the-gulf-hostage-to-government-formation/ |
| Saeed, Yerevan (2020). “Policy Failures Lead to a Kurdish PMF Battalion in Kirkuk”. Fikra Forum, the Washington Institute for near east policy. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/policy-failures-lead-kurdish-pmf-battalion-kirkuk |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2020). “What a Biden Administration will mean for Kurds?”. Al-Jazeera English. https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2020/12/3/what-biden-can-and-cannot-do-for-the-kurds |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2020). “Can Restoration of Electricity Spark a New Era in Relations Between Baghdad and Riyadh?”. The Arab Gulf Institute in Washington. https://agsiw.org/can-restoration-of-electricity-spark-a-new-era-in-relations-between-baghdad-and-riyadh/ |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2020). “Coronavirus could cause US to lose Iraqi Kurdish region to China”. Al-Jazeera English. https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2020/7/16/coronavirus-could-cause-us-to-lose-iraqi-kurdish-region-to-china |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2020). “Corruption and partisan politics can bring down the KRG”. Al-Jazeera English. https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2020/3/1/corruption-and-partisan-politics-can-bring-down-the-krg |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2019). “Why the unity of the PUK is important for Iraqi Kurds”. Al-Jazeera English. https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2019/12/19/why-the-unity-of-the-puk-is-important-for-iraqi-kurds |
| Saeed Yerevan (2019). “Turkey’s attack on Kurds in Syria betrays those doing the fighting against ISIS — and dying”. THINK, NBC NEWS. https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/turkey-s-attack-kurds-syria-betrays-those-doing-fighting-against-ncna1066061 |
| English. https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2019/12/1/the-krgs-anti-corruption-effort-must-start-from-its-oil-sector |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2019). “Without Diversifying its Rentier Economy, Pessimism Among Kurdish Youth Will Increase”. Fikra Forum, the Washington Institute for near east policy. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/without-diversifying-its-rentier-economy-pessimism-among-kurdish-youth-will |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2019). “After Arson in Kirkuk Against Kurdish Farmers, Kurdish Parties Remain Divided”. Fikra Forum, the Washington Institute for near east policy. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/after-arson-kirkuk-against-kurdish-farmers-kurdish-parties-remain-divided |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2018). “How the Kurdish opposition parties missed a historical opportunity to challenge KDP and PUK?”. The Middle East Research Institute. http://www.meri-k.org/publication/how-the-kurdish-opposition-parties-missed-a-historical-opportunity-to-challenge-kdp-and-puk/ |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2018). “Iraq Faces its Next Crisis: Water”. Fikra Forum, the Washington Institute for near east policy. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/iraq-faces-its-next-crisis-water |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2018). “Kurdish opposition parties lost in May 12th election: Does fraud explain it?” Fikra Forum, the Washington Institute for near east policy. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/kurdish-opposition-parties-lost-may-12th-election-does-fraud-explain-it |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2018). “Thirty years after the Halabja Genocide: Iraq Still Punishes the Kurds”. Fikra Forum, the Washington Institute for near east policy. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/thirty-years-after-halabja-genocide-iraq-still-punishes-kurds |
| Saeed, Yerevan “Why Washington is wrong to impose visa suspension on Iraqis”. The Hill. https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/foreign-policy/316759-why-washington-is-wrong-to-impose-visa-suspension-on |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2017). “The Kurdish Security Dilemma, Explained”. Fikra Forum, the Washington Institute for near east policy. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/kurdish-security-dilemma-explained |
| Saeed, Yerevan (2017). “Is Kurdistan Independence Inevitable?”. Middle East Research Institute. http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep13599. |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2017). “Firing Up Kurdish Nationalism in Iraq”. Fikra Forum, the Washington Institute for near east policy. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/firing-kurdish-nationalism-iraq |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2016). “Why Did Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Go to Iraq?” Arab Gulf Institute in Washington. https://agsiw.org/saudi-arabias-foreign-minister-go-iraq/ |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2016). “Iraqi-Iranian Maritime Exercises Send Message to Gulf Arab States”. Arab Gulf Institute in Washington. https://agsiw.org/iraqi-iranian-maritime-exercises-send-message-gulf-arab-states/ |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2016). “The Ottoman Experience in Mosul, Then and Now”. Fikra Forum, the Washington Institute for near east policy. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/ottoman-experience-mosul-then-and-now |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2016). “Arab Gulf States Wary of Iran’s Role in the Battle for Mosul”. Arab Gulf Institute in Washington. https://agsiw.org/arab-gulf-states-wary-irans-role-battle-mosul/ |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2016). “The Future of Kurdistan, Between Unity and Balkanization”. Fikra Forum, the Washington Institute for near east policy. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/future-kurdistan-between-unity-and-balkanization |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2016). “Who to Blame for the Absence of a Kurdish State after Sykes-Picot?”. Fikra Forum, the Washington Institute for near east policy. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/who-blame-absence-kurdish-state-after-sykes-picot |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2016). “Kurdish independence: reality or mirage?”. Your Middle East. https://yourmiddleeast.com/2016/03/04/the-declaration-for-a-referendum-has-already-faced-stiff-resistance/ |
| Saeed, Yerevan, (2014). “Kurdistan’s Energy Resources Could be Defining Point of Turkey’s Foreign Policy”. Diplomatic Courier Magazine. https://www.diplomaticourier.com/posts/kurdistan-s-energy-resources-could-be-defining-point-of-turkey-s-foreign-policy |
Professional Qualification
- - Working member of the “The South West Asia Group” [SWAG], George Mason University.