His academic interests focused on international politics, diplomatic relations, international institutions, and the legal principles governing relations between states.
Zarif later continued his graduate studies at the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies, an institution recognized for its programs in international relations and diplomacy.
He obtained another master’s degree in international relations in 1984 and completed his doctorate in international law and policy in 1988.
His doctoral dissertation, titled Self-Defense in International Law and Policy, examined legal and political questions concerning the use of force and the right of states to defend themselves under international law.
This academic specialization became particularly relevant to his later diplomatic career, during which questions of sovereignty, national security, international sanctions, and the use of military force frequently emerged.
Several professors who worked with Zarif remembered him as an exceptionally capable student. Tom Rowe, who supervised his doctoral committee, described him as one of the strongest students he had taught.
Another professor, Ved Nanda, recalled Zarif’s academic abilities and believed that he would eventually become an important figure in his country’s public life.
