The Institute for Iran-Eurasia Studies (IRAS) is an independent, non-governmental research institute established in 2004 (1383 SH). Recognized as Iran’s premier specialized think tank focused on Central Asia, Russia, and the Caucasus, IRAS was founded by Dr. Mehdi Sanaei, faculty member of the Faculty of World Studies at the University of Tehran.
In 2019 (1398 SH), in recognition of the deep strategic and geopolitical interconnectedness between Russia, Central Asia, and East and South Asia—a macro-region frequently conceptualized by scholars as “Greater Eurasia”—the IRAS Board of Directors expanded the institute’s research mandate to encompass East and South Asian affairs.
The institute is dedicated to the comprehensive study of political, economic, socio-cultural, and security developments across Eurasia and East and South Asia. It systematically examines intra-regional relations and broader international dynamics, with a specific focus on these states’ bilateral and multilateral ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran, while providing strategic analysis to inform foreign policy formulation within domestic institutions.
Producing high-impact scholarly research and enhancing the strategic decision-making capacity of foreign policy apparatuses in managing Iran’s bilateral and multilateral relations across Eurasia and East and South Asia—grounded in an objective, empirical, and policy-relevant approach—form the cornerstone of the institute’s mission.
Mehdi Sanaei
Founder and President of the Board of Directors
Behzad Ahmadi
Executive Director
IRAS Publications maintains a distinguished catalog of specialized monographs on political-security, economic, socio-cultural, and historical issues across Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. The institute houses a specialized research library comprising more than 3,000 volumes in Persian, Russian, and English, alongside an active digital presence and an analytical research portal at www.iras.ir.
Drawing upon a dedicated team of experts and structured institutional networks with prominent regional scholars, academic bodies, and international think tanks across Greater Eurasia, IRAS has carried out numerous high-level research initiatives and regularly hosts national and international symposia, roundtables, and academic conferences.
Contact Information
Address: Unit 8, No. 2, Amini Alley, North of Sa’ei Park, Vali-e-Asr Ave., Tehran, Iran
Postal Code: 1434734366
Tel: +98 (21) 88792496 / +98 (21) 88770586
Email: sardabir.iras1@gmail.com
Editor-in-Chief: sardabir@iras.ir