Zahra Ghoreishi
Zahra Ghoreishi Headshot
PhD Researcher
email seyedehzahra.ghoreishi@anu.edu.au

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About

Zahra Ghoreishi is a PhD candidate at the Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (CPAS) at the Australian National University, focusing on the complex interplay of politics and security in transboundary river basins. With extensive expertise spanning transboundary water issues across Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia, Zahra has authored over 20 reports and 20 articles.

Driven by her commitment to practical solutions, Zahra joined CPAS to investigate how water science and modeling influence politics in transboundary river basins. Her PhD research explores the role of modeling in shaping water conflicts, specifically examining the Murray Darling River Basin in Australia and the Zayandeh-Roud River Basin in Iran, aiming to identify strategies for transforming complex water conflicts by uncovering underlying factors.

Beyond her academic work, Zahra is actively involved in developing a Large Language Model (LLM) to serve as a policy advisor for transboundary water conflicts, highlighting her dedication to promoting responsible science in managing these critical resources.

Zahra's commitment extends beyond academia, with significant contributions to policymaking through her work on policy papers for Iranian national agencies. She is also a skilled communicator, actively engaging with the media through op-eds and press articles in newspapers, demonstrating her ability to translate complex scientific issues for broader audiences.

Affiliations

Research interests

  • Hydro-politics
  • Transboundary water conflicts
  • Water Security
  • Conflict Transformation
  • Science-policy interfaces
  • Politics of Science 

Publications

Projects

  1. Unpacking the politics of water modelling in shaping transboundary water conflict arrangements
  2. Using Large Language Models in water conflict domains

 

Publications

  1. Ghoreishi, S. Z., Mianabadi, H., Warner, J., Nagheeby, M., Vij, S., Parvaresh Rizi, A. (2024), Maintaining Status quo or Realizing Transformation in Transboundary Water Conflicts? Power-Interests- Identity Nexus in the Helmand River Basin, Water International, 49(5): 664-689, https://doi.org/10.1080/02508060.2024.2352228.
  2. Mamasani, P., Jafari, M., Mianabadi, H., Ghoreishi, S. Z. (2024), Suffering from deprivation, depriving of water; Exploring relative deprivation feeling in transboundary water conflicts, Water Alternatives, 17(2):1-31.
  3. Dadparvar, SH., Kaleji, V., Ghoreishi, S. Z., Mianabadi, H. (2023). The Effects of Turkey’s Dam Construction and Border Wall on the Water Resources and Environment of Iran’s Aras River Basin, Caucasus Survey, 1-29, doi: https://doi.org/10.30965/23761202-bja10027
  4. Nastarani Amoghin, S; Ghoreishi, S.Z; Mianabadi, H; Parvaresh Rizi, A. (2023). Turkey's water-oriented development in the Aras Transboundary River Basin, The Iranian Journal of Irrigation and Drainage, doi: 10.22059/jwim.2023.361889.1086
  5. Mianabadi, H., Ghoreishi, S. Z. (2023). Unpacking the Complexities of the Helmand River Basin's Hydropolitical Arrangements, Journal of Iranian Water Engineering Research, 2(3): 53-77, doi: 10.22034/ijwer.2023.409040.1040
  6. Ghoreishi, S. Z., Mianabadi, H., Jafari, M. (2023). Reframing Transboundary Water Security, In: Szalkai K and Szalai M (eds) Theorizing Transboundary Waters in International Relations. Springer Nature Switzerland AG, 83–104
  7. Mianabadi, H., Ghoreishi, S. Z. (2022). The Explanation of Realism and Liberalism Paradigms in Hydropolitical Interactions, International Quarterly of Geopolitics, 18 (65): 150-186, http://journal.iag.ir/article_113031.html?lang=en
  8. Mianabadi, H., Ghoreishi, S. Z. (2021). Reframing Water Security Components, Iran Water Resources Research, 17(1), pp. 239-261, http://www.iwrr.ir/article_130994.html?lang=en
  9. Amini, A., Ghoreishi, S. Z., Mianabadi, H. (2021). Understanding Helmand Treaty by Invoking Rules of Interpretation According to the Vienna Convention 1969, the Iranian Journal of Irrigation and Drainage, 11(2), pp. 249-273, doi: 10.22059/jwim.2021.324894.876.
  10. Ghoreishi, S. Z., Mianabadi, H., Parvaresh Rizi, A. (2021). The TWINS Framework for Illustrating Co-Existing Conflict and Cooperation in the Helmand River Basin, Iranian Journal of Soil and Water Research, 52(1), pp. 273-300, doi: 10.22059/ijswr.2020.305456.668661.
  11. Ghoreishi, S. Z., Mianabadi, H., Hajiani, E. (2020). The Dimensions of Hydraulic Mission in Turkey's Hydropolitics, Iran Water Resources Research, 16(1), pp. 304-331, http://www.iwrr.ir/article_105732.html?lang=en
  12. Barjeste, H., Ghoreishi, S. Z., Mianabadi, H. (2020). Nexus Approach in Hydropolitics of Transboundary Rivers, Iranian journal of Ecohydrology, 7(3), pp. 757-773, doi: 10.22059/ije.2020.301473.1319.
  13. Ghoreishi, S. Z., Mianabadi, H., Mousavi Shafaee, S. (2019). The Role of Power in Water Diplomacy, Iran Water Resources Research, 15(2), pp. 242-264, http://www.iwrr.ir/article_85778_en.html

 

Conference papers

  1. Ghoreishi, S. Z., Mianabadi, H., Hosseini, J. (2023). The Role of Third Parties in Iran and Afghanistan Hydropolitical Interaction, The First National Conference of Afghanistan and its Future Prospects, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran
  2. Ghoreishi, S. Z., Mianabadi, H. (2022), The Complexity of Power and International Water Law, The Oslo International Environmental Law Conference, Oslo, Norway.
  3. Ghoreishi, S. Z., Andik, B., Sohrabi, R., Mianabadi, H. (2022). The Importance of Identity Construction for DAP and GAP Projects in Turkey, Identity and Policy-making in Iran Conference, Iran.
  4. Ghoreishi, S. Z., Mianabadi, H. (2021). The Role of International Relations Paradigms in Analyzing Transboundary Waters Security. Conference on Transboundary Waters in IR (TWIR) Mixing Water and International Relations Theory: Frameworks for Transboundary Water Analysis, Hungary
  5. Mirhashemi, S. Ghoreishi, S. Z., Mianabadi, H. (2021). Understanding the role of “Water, Politics, and Identity” in Social Transformation of Iran’s Water History, Management of Social Transformations, UNESCO, Iran.
  6. Mirhashemi, S., Ghoreishi, S. Z., Mianabadi, H. (2021). Analyzing the Complexity of “Water and Identity” in the Zayandehrood River Basin, Social and Cultural Researches in Iranian Society Conference, Iran.
  7. Ghoreishi, S. Z., Mianabadi, H., Parvaresh Rizi, A. (2019). Hydrosolidarity Practice: A New Approach for Transboundary Water Cooperation, 10th Hydrohegemony Conference, The Huge, the Netherlands
  8. Mianabadi, H., Afrad Irani, P., Ghoreishi, S. Z., Kermaniha, G, Khatibzadeh, Sh. (2018). The Importance of Security of Water in Supplying Iran's Water Security, Water Security and Climate Change Conference, Kenyatta University, Nairobi.

 

Media engagment (Op-ed, blog)

  1. Ghoreishi, S. Z. (2023). The Qosh Tepa Channel project in Afghanistan, Institute for East Strategic Studies, https://www.iess.ir/fa/analysis/3527/
  2. Ghoreishi, S. Z. (2023). What does International Law say about the Hamoun Wetlands' environmental rights?, Iran Newspaper, https://irannewspaper.ir/8203/22
  3. Ghoreishi, S. Z. (2022).Hamoun's Aquatic Legacy: Thriving Poppy Fields of Afghanistan, Iran Newspaper, https://irannewspaper.ir/7977/17
  4. Ghoreishi, S. Z. (2022).How Water is ‘Otherizing’ between Iran and Afghanistan?, Institute for East Strategic Studies, https://www.iess.ir/en/analysis/3008/
  5. Ghoreishi, S. Z. (2021). Hydropolitical Interactions over Helmand basin: past, present and future, Institute for East Strategic Studies, http://www.iess.ir/en/analysis/2696/
  6. Ghoreishi, S. Z. (2021). Afghanistan's Responsibility towards shared Ecosystem, Institute for East Strategic Studies, http://www.iess.ir/en/analysis/2733/
  7. Ghoreishi, S. Z. (2021). Hydropolitics and the War of Narratives; Turkey's Yesterday Approach, Afghanistan's Today Policy, Institute for East Strategic Studies, http://www.iess.ir/en/analysis/2662/
  8. Ghoreishi, S. Z. (2021). Zayandeh Roud and its Water Security, IRNA Newspaper, https://www.irna.ir/news/84589367