Expertise on the region of Iran and Central Asia
Leiden's expertise on Iran and Central Asia is of great importance to the security and economy of the Netherlands. Iran plays a crucial role in the Middle East, where it has a major influence on stability, energy and geopolitics.
In the Netherlands, our expertise on Iran, the Persian language area and the wider Central Asian region occupies a unique position. At the Leiden Institute for Area Studies (LIAS), in-depth knowledge of languages, cultures and worldviews is rooted in a research tradition that goes back centuries, and research is conducted in close collaboration with other disciplines. In order to truly understand both local and geopolitical developments in Iran and the Central Asian region today, it is necessary to study this region in all its facets and place it in its historical context.
