Between 1998 and 2000, Zaarour began his career as an intern for the
Middle East Institute as an educational researcher,
National Defense University as a policy analyst, and
United States Information Agency as a regional desk officer, all located in
Washington D.C.. By 2024, Zaarour began to teach at
North Carolina State University for similar classes as a professor in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Zaarour has also worked as an
adjunct professor at
North Carolina Central University since at least 2011, and
Virginia Tech,
Professional organization involvement Zaarour has worked for several
professional organizations. In response to the
increase in islamophobia following the September 11th attacks, Zaarour founded the
Raleigh, North Carolina–based
Muslim American Public Affairs Council (MAPAC) in 2002, which
lobbies on behalf of
Muslim Americans. On October 2, 2007, Zaarour, representing MAPAC, was part of an effort which successfully lobbied for
Ramadan to be recognized as a holy month by the
US House of Representatives. In addition to lobbying, Zaarour also assumed responsibility for the organization in its interactions with
NGOs like
Doctors Without Borders, and its political endorsements for Muslim voters. In 2006, as the organization's political director, Zaarour endorsed
Democratic Party incumbent
Brad Miller in the
US House of Representatives elections in North Carolina for that year, as opposed to the
Republican Party candidate because of some of their commentary. Zaarour continued to promote the Democratic party under MAPAC for the next decade until the
2024 US Presidential election, where as the organization's chair, he endorsed
Green Party candidate
Jill Stein and her running mate
Butch Ware, as he believed their stance on Muslim issues was superior to those taken by the Democrats and Republicans. In 2025, Zaarour left MAPAC on good terms. Zaarour has also served on the boards for the Raleigh chapter of
Sister Cities International beginning in 2022– acting as the city's ambassador for his hometown of Syr Daniyah in Lebanon, on the Human Relations Commission board for the
City of Raleigh beginning in May 2025, and on Research Committee 46 of the
International Political Science Association beginning in September 2025. He also served on the board for the North Carolina chapter of the
American Civil Liberties Union.
Correspondent work Beginning as an academic requirement
OTV, , Sawt Beirut International, and
Voice of Lebanon, on topics including
Iran–Lebanon relations,
Lebanon–US relations, the
Hezbollah–Israel conflict, and
Israel–Somaliland relations, all within the context of the
Middle Eastern crisis started in 2023. He also has contributed pieces for the Egyptian-based
Al-Masry Al-Youm and
Al-Jumhur, Moroccan-based
Medi 1 TV, Saudi-owned London-based
Al Majalla, and
UAE-based . ==See also==