Masoud Zamani is an interdisciplinary scholar with teaching and research interests in international criminal law, international human rights law, international economic law, criminology, comparative law, legal and political history, and international relations. He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Nottingham in 2015.

Masoud’s teaching journey has taken him across three continents and four countries, including institutions such as the University of Nottingham (England), Shiraz University (Iran), Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (Spain), and the University of British Columbia (Canada). His research—published in both English and Persian—focuses on international criminal justice, international humanitarian law, the history of international law, Middle Eastern systems of law and politics, and the intersection of law and social psychology.

In addition to his academic work, Masoud has advised private actors and organizations on international negotiation, cross-border trade, and political risk. He is the author of the Persian-language book Crisis and Self-Actualization, which explores the role of identity, belief, and political agency in times of societal upheaval. His professional experience enriches his teaching by connecting theory with practice in global affairs.

Masoud has also contributed to several leading policy and academic platforms, including the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, The National Interest, EJIL: Talk!, and Articles of War, published by the Lieber Institute for Law and Land Warfare at West Point. His commentary and publications address timely issues at the intersection of law, conflict, and geopolitics.

POLI 369I – International Human Rights and Institutions
This course explores the foundations, evolution, and enforcement of international human rights law. Students examine the role of international institutions such as the United Nations, regional human rights courts, and treaty bodies. Emphasis is placed on contemporary debates surrounding universality, cultural relativism, and the politics of human rights enforcement. Case studies include both global and regional perspectives, with attention to current challenges such as authoritarianism, digital surveillance, and humanitarian intervention.

POLI 464K – Middle East and International Relations
This course provides an in-depth analysis of the international relations of the modern Middle East. It examines the geopolitical dynamics of key regional and external actors, the legacy of colonialism, ideological movements such as Pan-Arabism and Islamism, and the impact of foreign interventions. Students engage with major conflicts—including the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Gulf wars, and the Iran–Israel rivalry—and assess prospects for peace and transformation in light of shifting global power structures.

POLI 370K – International Criminal Law
This course introduces students to the legal foundations and political implications of international criminal law. It covers core crimes such as genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and aggression, as well as the structure and function of international tribunals, including the International Criminal Court. Through landmark cases and current controversies, students critically assess the promises and limits of accountability in global justice, especially in relation to power politics, selective enforcement, and transitional justice.

Zamani, M., Kiani, A., ‘A Conflict in Suspense: General Close of Military Operations in the Iran-Israel Conflict’ Articles of War, Lieber Institute for Law and Land Warfare Studies, available at: https://lieber.westpoint.edu/conflict-suspense-general-close-military-operations-iran-israel-conflict/

Zamani, M., Kiani, A., ‘Location, Location, Location: Targeting Haniyeh in Tehran and Questions of Extraterritoriality in NIACs’ European Journal of International Law Blog, EJIL Talk, available at: https://www.ejiltalk.org/location-location-location-targeting-ismail-haniyeh-in-tehran-and-questions-of-extraterritoriality-in-niacs/

Zamani, M., Kiani, A, Mohammadi, A (2024), ‘Misson Impossible: Establishing Criminal Responsibility for Kakhovka Dam Destruction, Nordic Journal of International Law’, 93(4), 452-478.

Jafari, S., Zamani, M., (2023) ‘Sexual Violence in the Jurisprudence of ICTY and ICTR’ Public Law Studies Quarterly, 15(3), 45-68.

Jafari, S., Zamani, M., (2023) ‘Sex Slavery in the Special Court of Sierra Leone’s Procedure’ Public Law Studies Quarterly,

15(5), 1-35.

Zamani, M., Njeri, B., (2022) Non-Tarrif Barriers Challenge on Formation of Multilateral Trade Policy in the East Africa Region, European Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(2), 63-70.

Zamani. M, (2022) Principles of Drafting International Commercial Contracts, Majd Publications, Tehran

Nikouei, M., Zamani, M., (2019) ‘Jurisprudence of Tolerance: Article 17, ‘ Media Hate Speech, Article 17 and Theory of Democracy in the European Convention on Human Rights’ International Human Rights Law Review, 8,67-88.

Zamani, M., (2018) ‘Legal Romanticism; The Concept of Volkgeist in Law’, Journal of Legal Studies 17(3), 25-52.

Zamani, M., Abtahi, T., (2018) Implied Terms in Vessel Charter Party Agreements, Majd Publications, Tehran

Zamani, M., Fadavi Hosseini, S., (2017) Arbitration Clause in International Contracts, (Translation) Majd Publications, Tehran Zamani, M., Nikouei, M, (2017) ‘Intervention by Invitation, Collective Self-defence and the Enigma of Effective Control’, Chinese Journal of International Law, 16(4) 663 – 694

Nikouei, M., Zamani, M., (2016) ‘The Secession of Crimea: Where Does International Law Stand?,’ Nordic Journal of International Law, 85(1), 37 – 64.

Zamani, M.,Nikouei, M., ‘Crimea, International Law and the Question of Self-Determination’, Legal Research Quarterly, 2016, 19:1, 253-281

Pourbaferani, H., Zamani, M., (2015) ‘A Comparative Critique of Regulating the Personal and Passive Personality Principles in the Iranian Penal System’, Electronic Journal of Middle Eastern and Islamic Law, 20(3) 117-149.

Zamani, M., (2011) ‘Review of I. Henderson’s “The Contemporary Law of Targeting: Military Objectives, Proportionality, and Precautions in Attacks under Additional Protocol’ Journal of Conflict and Security Law 16(2), 223-225

Outstanding Teaching Fellow Award at Law and Political Sciences Faculty, Shiraz University (2019)  Granted Membership of the National Foundation of Iranian Academic Elites (2015)

Scholarship for Visiting Scholars (2014), University of Michigan

Alumni Scholarship by the University of Nottingham (2010)

Scholarship by the University of Nottingham for Iranian students (2009)

Scholarship in Isfahan University to study two majors at the Isfahan University (2005)

Exceptional Talent title achieved by Iranian Ministry of Higher Education for distinction score in university entrance exam (2005)

Azam Abedi (M.A.) – Secession and International Law: A Comparative Study of Iraqi Kurdistan and Catalonia

Zahra Setoodeh (M.A.) – Russia’s Justifications for the 2022 Invasion of Ukraine: A Critical Assessment under International Law

Mohanad Al Lami (M.A.) – Artificial Intelligence Regulation in International Law: Privacy Protection in Social Media Contexts

Alaa Mohammed Abed Al-Zubaidi (M.A.) – The Right to Education for Children in International Law: A Comparative Study of Iran and Iraq

Mostafa Ghorbani (M.A.) – State Responsibility for the Use of Non-State Armed Groups: The Case of Syria

Farzaneh Fereshteh (M.A.) – Maritime Blockade in International Law: Legal Analysis of the Gaza Strip and Yemen Cases

  Jamshid Arasteh (M.A.) – Human Rights and Media Responsibility During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Media Study

Amir Halaji Azad (M.A.) – Domestic Implementation of International Treaties in Iranian Courts

Faezeh Sadat Sajjadi (M.A.) – Hollywood and the Human Rights Discourse: Influence on First-Generation Rights

Maral JavidBakht (M.A.) – Maritime Terrorism and Legal Countermeasures: Focus on the Indian Ocean and the Horn of Africa

Zahra Azadi (M.A.) – Nanotechnology in Weapons Development: Legal Perspectives under International Humanitarian Law

Zahra Zare (M.A.) – Refugee Protection in the Case Law of the European Court of Human Rights

Shadi Dehghani (M.A.) – Sustainable Development and Energy Law: Challenges and Prospects in International Environmental Law

Elham Heidari (Ph.D.) – Tolerance and Citizenship: A Study of Modern Neo-Mu‘tazilite Philosophy in the Arab World

Samira Shahriari (M.A.) – The Politicization of International Human Rights Institutions: The Case of Myanmar

Mohammad Javad Izadi (M.A.) – The Ideological Foundations of Military Transformation in the Islamic Republic of Iran