This is especially important since saudi arabia and iran will be the critical regional players in the wake of a u. The iransaudi arabia proxy conflict, sometimes also referred to as the iransaudi arabia cold war, middle east cold war or middle east conflict, is the ongoing struggle for influence in the middle east and surrounding regions between the islamic republic of iran and the kingdom of saudi arabia. For years, this rivalry has inflamed violence in areas already torn by war and created new battlefields where there had been relative peace before. In 2001, iran and saudi arabia signed a security agreement that formed an important stage in the entire region of the arab gulf, and not just in bilateral relations between iran and saudi arabia. This impression is intensifying from the point where both iran and saudi. A direct war between the two powers is not unthinkable. This research asks, what are the nonsectarian sources of contention between saudi arabia and iran. The new middle east cold war and its affiliates, the emergent islamic state, and other sunni groups are locked in a conflict over what the proper political role of islam should.
Iransaudi arabia relations and regional order adelphi series. The saudi arabiaus partnership is a defining pillar of middle eastern geopolitics. The security dilemma in saudiiranian relations mohamed bin. King salman bin abdulazizs historic fourday visit to moscow in early october. And in what ways do saudi and iranian leaders frame sectarianism. Relations between saudi arabia and iran have been rocky for the better part of the last century. Not only have the two middle eastern powerhouses regularly. Ib october tensions in iransaudi relations and future prospects 06, 2016 as entities with sound state structure and strong governments, both iran and the kingdom of saudi arabia ksa hold a significant place in the turbulent region of middle east. Iran has its own domestic challenges to contend with. Saudi arabia cut diplomatic relations with iran on sunday over the storming of the saudi embassy in tehran, in a deepening crisis between the regional adversaries following the kingdoms execution of a prominent shiite muslim cleric. Iran and saudi arabia unlikely to pivot back to diplomacy.
Iran is located at the center of the uncontrollable center of postcold. Policy congressional research service 1 context for heightened u. Iran has a large population and a long history of nationhood, while saudi arabia holds significant oil reserves and is custodian of islams holiest sites before the 1979 iranian revolution, relations between iran and saudi arabia proceeded without major incident. There is much speculation on a warming of relations, and even collaboration, between saudi arabia and israel in the aftermath of the iran nuclear deal. General bajwas trip to tehran is being viewed as pakistans attempt to keep the tensions from spiraling out of control. The dynamics of future saudi arabianiranian relations in. How current conflicts between saudi arabia and iran impact the state of the world. Keeping iran and saudi arabia from war foreign affairs. Saudiiranian tensions economic effects and political consequences iranian oil workers on kharg island in the persian gulf, february 2016. After saudi arabia executed shiite cleric nimr al nimr in january 2016, protesters attacked the saudi embassy in tehran. Fpa approach is employed to discuss diplomacy with a focus on saudi and iranian relations with israel and the iran nuclear deal to show how saudi arabia is consistently motivated by power and relative gains while iran is consistently motivated by power, identity, and domestic concerns. May 29, 2018 in iran, protestors burn part of the saudi embassy in tehran and storm the compound. This relationship has impacted the united states role in the persian gulf.
Saudi arabias relations with syria, irans main ally have deteriorated due to the violent suppression of the protests in. Regional rivals enjoyed amicable ties in the 1990s, but analysts say current geopolitics point to more confrontation. Imad kamel harb is a distinguished international affairs fellow with. This report documents a study of saudiiranian relations since 2003. During the war, relations between iran and saudi arabia thawed considerably and the official ties were restored in 1991.
Iran saudi arabia relations and regional order adelphi series chubin, shahram on. Iransaudi arabia relations and regional order adelphi series chubin, shahram on. The chinairan relationship could detract from chinas efforts to enhance its international image as a responsible player. As noted by a pakistani foreign service officer, it was difficult to maintain good relations with israel, saudi arabia, the united states, and iran at the same time, given each states backandforth rivalry with another, and in particular, iran s rivalry with all three. By 2015 iran was in its most favorable geopolitical position since the revolution in 1979. Both countries have different values and perspectives in regards to diplomatic relations with the west.
It moved from the stage of diplomatic protocols to the. Why saudi arabia and iran are bitter rivals bbc news. A longterm perspective turkey responded to its postcold war identity crisis with a multidimensional approach that focused on opening up to and building ties with traditional zones of influence from the balkans to the caucasus. The middle east is today similar to eighteenthcentury europe in that there is a surplus of heavyweight rivals israel, turkey, saudi arabia and iran, each aspiring to be the dominant power. However, increasing saudiiranian hostility, recent changes inside the saudi regime, and lingering questions over the consistency of the trump administrations support have led riyadh to diversify its bilateral relationships. This study analyzes the saudi iranian struggle for influence in iraq, the persian gulf, lebanon and palestine and its implications for u. Kharg island provides a sea port for the export of oil and extends iranian territorial sea claims into the persian gulf oil fields. Relations between iran and saudi arabia should at least after the islamic revolution have seen relations that have seen a lot of landing. Risky gulf arab strategy tested by killing of soleimani. The saudis would certainly see iran crossing the nuclear threshold as a major security challenge, says gause, author of the council on foreign relations special report saudi arabia in the new.
The two civilizations have had a history of cultural, political, and economic exchanges along the silk road since at least 200 bc, and possibly. Irans 1979 revolution, the fall of saddam hussein in iraq and the arab spring in turn increased the disagreement between the two regional powers. Iran has a large population and a long history of nationhood, while saudi arabia holds significant oil reserves and is custodian of islams holiest sites. Relations between iran and saudi arabia have never been at a desirable level. Tehran, it is unlikely that saudi arabia and iran will go far in talking about potential good times. According to najjar, iran seeks to play a prominent role in the security of the persian gulf and the strait of hormuz, a strategic waterway through which roughly 40 percent of the world markets oil is transported. This study analyzes the saudiiranian struggle for influence in iraq, the persian gulf, lebanon and. This is a distant past in relations between the two countries, but the slight loss of similarities between iran and saudi arabia after the islamic revolution has maximized this threat. Conflicts in the middle east, whether in iraq, lebanon, syria, or yemen, share a common factor. The formation of a sunni coalition against houthis in yemen could spark sectarian violence in pakistan and afghanistan. The security dilemma in saudiiranian relations mohamed.
Following recognition in 1931, the united states and saudi arabia established full diplomatic relations, with exchange of credentials and the first u. Relations between iran and pakistan reached their lowest level in the aftermath of islamabads visible tilt towards saudi arabia and the killing of 10 iranian guards in a militant attack at pakistans border last month. Demonstrators try to attack the saudi consulate in mashhad. Nevertheless, the saudi government remained extremely wary of permanent efforts by the iranian leadership to export the. Islam, and the complex triangular relations of power between iran, saudi arabia and iraq. Iran viewed the iraqi occupation of kuwait as a serious threat, considering it the first step towards its expansionist mindset. Study of iransaudi relations in the persian gulf region. Unlike fellow gulf cooperation council gcc member states saudi arabia and the united arab emirates uae, qatar has refrained from directly criticizing irans interference during bahrains shia uprising in 2011, and even held several highlevel meetings with iranian officials to discuss.
Tensions in iransaudi relations and future prospects. There is much speculation on a warming of relations, and even collaboration, between saudi. Since 1979, saudiiranian relations have been tense due to their position as superior powers in the middle east. Saudi arabia, sudan, bahrain, and djibouti sever diplomatic ties with iran. Joshua teitelbaum besa center perspectives paper no. Saudi arabia has committed intense efforts to draw proiranian middle east players into the saudisunni camp and to establish a multinational front, based upon sectarian divisions, against irans regional ambitions. Pakistan is the key to better iran and saudi arabia relations. The turbulent history of iransaudi relations world. Pdf relations between iran and saudi arabia have never been at a desirable level. Part of the international relations commons, and the near and middle eastern studies commons recommended citation grumet, tali rachel, new middle east cold war. Irans parliament speaker ali larijani met with emir sheik hamad bin khalifa al thani in qatar. The more isolated iran becomes, the more danger exists that china will be seen as an outlier due to its ties with iran.
Identity of irans political system is referred to iranianislamic identity, while saudi arabia has arabicislamic identity. Before the 1979 iranian revolution, relations between. Iran s 1979 revolution, the fall of saddam hussein in iraq and the arab spring in turn increased the disagreement between the two regional powers. Afghanistan stuck between iran and saudi arabia politics. As a result, saudi arabia severed diplomatic ties with iran. The dynamics of future saudi arabianiranian relations in context page 4 of 4. Builds on an analysis of more than 60 interviews with scholars and former policy makers from iran, the arab gulf states, europe and the united states. The following is a timeline of iransaudi relations since the 1979 revolution.
The enmity between iran and saudi arabia is a persistent feature of middle eastern geopolitics. Saudiiranian tensions economic effects and political. All 334 saudi arabia 175 iran 118 houthis 52 usiran relations 46 january 9, 2020, 11. And the uae downgrades its relations with the islamic republic. Hostile relations between iran and saudi arabia are a major contributing factor to political instability in the middle east. Iran s 1979 revolution, the fall of saddam hussein in iraq and the arab spring in turn increased the disagreement. More information about saudi arabia is available on the saudi arabia page and from other department of state publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet u. Saudi arabia and iran have long been rivals in the middle east, but the fall of saddam hussein in 2003 and the ongoing war in iraq have increased tensions between the two states. Iran saudi arabia relations and regional order adelphi series. For the religious rivals, afghanistan is another front in the fight for influence. This article is published in collaboration with reuters media express. As a consequence of the new developments in irans foreign policy and the newfound openness to the west adopted by. Iran relations have been mostly adversarial since the 1979 islamic revolution in iran. Irans 1979 revolution, the fall of saddam hussein in iraq and the arab spring in turn increased the disagreement.
Study of iransaudi relations in the persian gulf region within the. Iransaudi arabia relations and regional order adelphi. In response, the saudi government cut diplomatic relations with iran. In iran, protestors burn part of the saudi embassy in tehran and storm the compound. Irans 1979 revolution, the fall of saddam hussein in iraq and the. As noted by a pakistani foreign service officer, it was difficult to maintain good relations with israel, saudi arabia, the united states, and iran at the same time, given each states backandforth rivalry with another, and in particular, irans rivalry with all three. The following is a timeline of iran saudi relations since the 1979 revolution.
Managing the saudiiran rivalry council on foreign relations. Pdf study of factors affecting saudiiranian relations and. New dynamics in the middle east are defining a new chapter in iransaudi relations. Iran and saudi arabia as relations based on a perception of the threat to both countries.
Since its inception in 1932, saudi arabia has sought to participate in alliances and coalitions to magnify its regional clout. They have long been rivals, but its all recently got a lot more tense. Hundreds of people have been arrested and at least 21 killed in. The history of saudiiranian relations has been fraught. Prior to the formation of the islamic republic of iran in 1979, bilateral relations between saudi arabia and iran could be characterized. The most important element of both saudi and iran identities is religion. The islamic republic of iran and the kingdom of saudi arabia are two rival.
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