Sultan Zahidov is a PhD holder in International Relations, a researcher, and a university lecturer with a strong focus on international security, Middle Eastern geopolitics, and the foreign policy strategies of major and regional powers. He earned his doctorate in International Relations at Baku State University, where his doctoral research examined Turkey’s contemporary foreign policy toward the Middle East, with particular emphasis on the transformation of Ankara’s strategic orientation in response to regional and global security dynamics. He previously completed two master’s degrees, one in International Relations and another in Global Political Economy at the University of Kassel in Germany, focusing on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and the Iraq war. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in International Relations with highest honors, concentrating on counterterrorism in the modern international system.
He is professionally engaged as an instructor at the Faculty of International Relations and Economy of Baku State University, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in international security, ethno-political conflicts, diplomatic and consular affairs, conflict regulation, and Euro-Atlantic security issues, primarily in English. Alongside his academic duties, he serves as a leading advisor at the Center of Analysis of International Relations, contributing to strategic and policy-oriented analyses related to regional security, the South Caucasus, the Middle East, and great power relations.
Throughout his career, he has been involved in numerous international and national institutions and initiatives related to dialogue, diplomacy, and international cooperation, including work with parliamentary structures and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He regularly participates in international conferences and security forums across Europe and Asia as a keynote speaker or panelist, addressing topics such as regional conflicts, peace and dialogue, and contemporary security challenges.
His research interests include international security, theories of international relations, the foreign policies of Azerbaijan, the United States, and Turkey, the post-Soviet security space, ethno-political and religious conflicts, and international political economy. He is the author of a substantial body of academic and analytical publications dealing with terrorism, regional power rivalries in the Middle East, lobbying and foreign policy decision-making, the security dynamics of the South Caucasus, and ongoing transformations in European and transatlantic security policy.
He is a native speaker of Azerbaijani and is fluent in English, Turkish, and Russian, with a good command of German and French. His academic, analytical, and advisory profile is fully aligned with the research and strategic priorities of the Institute for National and International Security (INIS), particularly in the fields of security studies, strategic analysis, and international relations.
