Areas of Expertise: Nuclear non-proliferation, Iranian Security Strategy and Nuclear Policy, Middle East Geopolitics, Islam
Dr. Mahsa Rouhi is a Research Fellow at the Center for Strategic Research at the Institute for National Strategic Studies at National Defense University. Her research and expertise focuses on nuclear policy and security strategy in the Middle East, particularly Iran. She is currently working on a project on grand strategy, security and nuclear decision making in Iran.
Prior to joining INSS, Dr. Rouhi was a Research Fellow in the Non-proliferation and Nuclear Policy program at the International Institute for Strategic Studies where she co-directed a track two project on the Geopolitics and Nuclear Issues in the Middle East and continues to engage as an associate. She was a post-doctoral fellow with the Managing the Atom project at Belfer Center from 2016-2018. She was a Visiting Assistant Professor from 2014-2016 at the University of Miami where she taught undergraduate and graduate courses on U.S. Security in the Middle East, International Relations, Security and Diplomacy, Conflict Resolution, Islam and Politics. She received her Ph.D. from King's College, University of Cambridge, UK. She received her B.A. in Economics from Shahid Beheshty University in Tehran, Iran, and her Master's Degree in Political Theory from the University of Sheffield, UK.
Dr. Rouhi's analysis and commentary has been published by Foreign Policy, NYT, The Guardian, Boston Globe, The National Interest, and other academic and policy journals. She has consulted with government and non-government organizations on nuclear issues and Iran.
Selected Publications
- Mahsa Rouhi, “Will Iran Follow North Korea’s Path and Ditch the NPT?”, Foreign Policy, 16 March 2020.
- Mahsa Rouhi and Michael Elleman, “The IRGC gets into the space-launch business”, IISS Blog, 1 May 2020.
- Mahsa Rouhi and Jonathan Snow, “Decision-Making in Revolutionaty States: Beyond the Whims of Charismatic Leaders” Journal of Global Security Studies, 2019, No 4, pp. 448-463
- Mahsa Rouhi, “How to Make a Lasting Deal with Iran”, Foreign Policy, 7 September 2019.
- Mahsa Rouhi, “Iran After Khamenei”, Strategic Survey 2019. October 2019.
- Mahsa Rouhi, “US-Iran Tensions and the Oil Factor,” Survival: Global Politics and Strategy. September 2018,. Vol 60, Edition 5, pp. 33-40