Mohammad Bagher Forough

Dr. Mohammad Bagher Forough is a researcher affiliated with the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) since 2024 and previously held positions at Leiden University (Assistant Professor of International Relations and Iranian Studies, 2016–2021) and Groningen University (Lecturer of International Security, 2014–2016). He is also an Associate Researcher at the Clingendael Institute of International Relations (2016–present) and an Affiliate Researcher at the Leiden Asia Centre (2019–present).

• Education: PhD in International Security, Groningen University, The Netherlands

His research focuses on Geoeconomics (infrastructure-security nexus), Middle East-China Relations, the Belt and Road Initiative, and Cybersecurity (Digital Silk Road, China 2025). He analyzes the global order's shift from Western unipolarity to a multipolar structure with Asia as a center of gravity, emphasizing geopolitical and geoeconomic trends in the Middle East (Iran, GCC) and East Asia (China).

Recent publications examine the 2023 Israeli-Palestinian War's impact on China, Global South narratives in multipolar order-building, EU strategic discourse in Africa, and geoeconomic projects within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). His work has been featured in outlets such as GIGA Focus, Antiteses, Global Studies Quarterly, and National Interest.

He has contributed to academic workshops (e.g., the 2024 Book Workshop on Order and Agency in the Indo-Pacific) and conferences (e.g., ISA Annual Conference 2023 and DVPW Open Section Conference 2023), focusing on hydrogen competition between India, China, and the EU.

Media engagements include interviews with Deutsche Welle and commentaries for the Leiden Asia Centre, addressing Middle East-China dynamics and nuclear policy in Iran.