Irans rivalry with saudi arabia a story of conflict between the gulf wars. Sectarianism, a quest for regional hegemony, and international alignments. Saudiiranian tensions economic effects and political consequences. The kingdom is a charter member of the international compact with iraq and participates. The often tense relationship between saudi arabia and iran has been at the center of many. This honors capstone project is brought to you for free and open access by the syracuse university honors program. 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.
Saudiiranian tensions economic effects and political. Demonstrators try to attack the saudi consulate in mashhad. Joshua teitelbaum besa center perspectives paper no. Iransaudi arabia relations and regional order adelphi. Before you download your free ebook, please consider donating to support open access publishing. This relationship has impacted the united states role in the persian gulf. Pdf relations between iran and saudi arabia have never been at a desirable. The history of saudiiranian relations has been fraught. While saudi arabia sees a zerosum game where its security can be guaranteed only by regime change in tehran, the uae, which is just miles from iran and would be. The paper concludes that if relations between iran and the us improve, there will likely be pressure from the us on the kingdom of saudi arabia and its other allies in the region to minimize tension with iran, particularly in order to solve conflicts in the region from lebanon to afghanistan without losing saudi or iran as allies. The match was between a saudi team and an iranian team, and the venue for that match was in this area. Finally, saudi arabia as iran imposed its influence in yemen the year after the houthis began their movement, in alliance.
The following is a timeline of iransaudi relations since the 1979 revolution. Hundreds of people have been arrested and at least 21 killed in the biggest challenge to the. Pakistans fore ign policy maintains balance relations with saudi arabia. In the past 15 years in particular, the differences between saudi arabia and iran have been sharpened by a series of events.
Aug 24, 2017 qatar restores diplomatic relations with iran, countering arab demands qatar restored full relations with iran, ignoring demands from arab nations and deepening the gulf dispute. Aug 23, 2019 while saudi arabia sees a zerosum game where its security can be guaranteed only by regime change in tehran, the uae, which is just miles from iran and would be the hardest hit by any military. Four proxy conflicts explained why iraq, syria, yemen and lebanon have become four key areas of the saudiiranian proxy war. Iran has its own domestic challenges to contend with. Just two or three months ago, in two provinces in iran, on the shores of the gulf, where the population is composed mainly of people of arab descent, there were riots during a football match for the asian cup.
Dec 07, 2018 relations between the two countries have grown especially warm under u. As a result, saudi arabia severed diplomatic ties with iran. However, iran has collaborated with the west at times. Relations of iran and saudi arabia wikimedia commons.
During the war, relations between iran and saudi arabia thawed considerably and the official ties were restored in 1991. Jan 04, 2018 saudi arabia accuses iran of backing the houthis. There is much speculation on a warming of relations, and even collaboration, between saudi. Eir is an independent nonprofit publisher run by an all volunteer team. Participants agreed that the current saudiiran rivalry is likely to intensify. The more isolated iran becomes, the more danger exists that china will be seen as an outlier due to its ties with iran. 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. 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. The discussion of iran and its supposed destabilising role in the region will carry through to the second, gccus summit, which will focus on.
Relations with iran united states department of state. A look at longfraught relations between saudi arabia and iran. Keeping iran and saudi arabia from war foreign affairs. Another turbulent year in the middle east has drawn to a close, but there will be no respite in 2018 from the regional chaos that is underpinned by the inflamed rivalry of saudi arabia and iran. The most important element of both saudi and iran identities is religion. Tim marshall discusses saudi iran relations on monocle radio. Iranian oil workers on kharg island in the persian gulf, february 2016. The security dilemma in saudiiranian relations mohamed. Saudi arabia, sudan, bahrain, and djibouti sever diplomatic ties with iran. Saudi arabia and irans rivalry tali rachel grumet university of denver.
This thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the graduate. 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. Iran simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Prior to the formation of the islamic republic of iran in 1979, bilateral relations between saudi arabia and iran could be characterized. Saudiiranian relations in the aftermath of the arab uprisings. Pakistans warming up to iran without jeopardizing its special relationship with saudi arabia is also paying. 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. Saudi arabias relations with syria, irans main ally have deteriorated due to the violent suppression of the protests in. Yet, irans ruling ideology and its regional agenda, built around shiasunni and iraniansaudi competition, are largely foreign to moscow. The collapse in saudi relations with iran after the execution of a prominent shiite cleric marks a grim start to the new year for saudi arabias king salman.
Study of iransaudi relations in the persian gulf region within the. Qatar restores diplomatic relations with iran, countering. This study analyzes the saudi iranian struggle for influence in iraq, the persian gulf, lebanon and palestine and its implications for u. Tensions in iransaudi relations and future prospects. Saudi arabia, the united arab emirates, oman, bahrain and qatar to discuss diplomatic efforts to engage iran on its nuclear program. The united states and the islamic republic of iran do not have diplomatic relations. Fanack home iran history of iran from past to present saudiiranian tensions economic effects and political. Ellie geranmayeh, an iran expert at the european council on foreign relations, said the saudi decision was likely to have repercussions for the region, particularly concerning the syrian negotiations. How can the growing regional rivalry between iran and saudi arabia and their. The enmity between iran and saudi arabia is a persistent feature of middle eastern geopolitics. Relations between iran and saudi arabia should at least after the islamic revolution have seen relations that have seen a lot. Irans role in the middle east has expanded exponentially by both diplomatic means as well as by proxy and direct interventions. 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.
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. Pdf the kingdom of saudi arabia is a major actor in middle eastern as well as global politics. Iran s nuclear program has been a source of strain and divergence in u. Media in category relations of iran and saudi arabia the following 10 files are in this category, out of 10 total. Why saudi arabia and iran are bitter rivals bbc news. Islam, and the complex triangular relations of power between iran, saudi arabia and iraq. Saudi arabia has cut diplomatic relations with iran in a sharp escalation of tensions between the two regional foes following the execution of the saudi shia cleric sheikh nimr alnimr. Pdf study of factors affecting saudiiranian relations and. Iran looms large in central asia despite sanctions and saudi. Iran relations is a useful resource for international relations and foreign policy scholars who want to learn more about progress in international relations theory and u. Saudi arabia supports the establishment of a unified, independent, and sovereign iraq. Saudi arabia relations council on foreign relations. Media in category relations of iran and the united states the following 43 files are in this category, out of 43 total.
The tensions have now sharply escalated with saudi arabia severing ties with the islamic republic following attacks on saudi diplomatic missions in iran. 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. After saudi arabia executed shiite cleric nimr al nimr in january 2016, protesters attacked the saudi embassy in tehran. Finally, the rivers of iran, racing swiftly through. Relations between iran and saudi arabia have never been at a desirable level. The decadesold saudiiranian rivalry has been once again thrust into the spotlight. Pak iran relation i pak iran relationship i iran pakistan. Iran looms large in central asia despite sanctions and.
Iran s 1979 revolution, the fall of saddam hussein in iraq and the arab spring in turn increased the disagreement. For years, this rivalry has inflamed violence in areas already torn by war and created new battlefields where there had been relative peace before. Conflicts in the middle east, whether in iraq, lebanon, syria, or yemen, share a common factor. Turkishiranian relations in a changing middle east rand. Iran direct talks that later produced the july 14, 2015, nuclear agreement between iran and the international community joint comprehensive plan of action, jcpoa.
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. For decades, certain interlocking interests and domestic and external limitations have made balance and extreme caution in pakistans relations with saudi arabia and iran and its attitude. Gulf cooperation council gcc headed by saudi arabia have sought to respond. The ad free experience is available for signedin community members, on the times of. Pompeo lands in saudi arabia for talks focused on iran. Madiha afzal explains how saudi arabia has used religious funding in pakistan as part of riyadhs bid to expand its influence in the muslim world, and in its mission to counter iran. This article is published in collaboration with reuters media express. The 2003 usled invasion of iraq overthrew saddam hussein, a sunni arab.
The persistence of tensions in iransaudi arabia relations is the result of negative emotional predispositions that have formed the identities of. Pdf study regarding the pakistan and iran relations. Turkeys main fear is that iran s acquisition of nuclear arms could lead to a nuclear arms race in the middle east. 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. The paper concludes that if relations between iran and the us improve, there will likely be pressure from the us on the kingdom of saudi arabia and its other allies in the region to minimize tension with iran, particularly in order to solve conflicts in the region from lebanon to afghanistan without losing saudi or. For example, the united states claims that iran supports terrorist groups against israel. Saudi arabia cuts diplomatic ties with iran news al. Relations between qatar and saudi arabia after the arab. Another justification for substantial international action lies in the scope of the latest attackiran has deliberately gone much further than its previous provocations, and if it avoids consequences once again, it may decide it has a free pass to go even further, whether against saudi arabia, israel, or other u. Iransaudi arabia relations and regional order adelphi series. Before world war ii, saudi arabia and iran had limited exchanges, except over the regulation of the annual pilgrimage to the holy cities of makkah and madinah. Sudan expressed its solidarity with saudi arabia and cut its diplomatic relations with iran on january 4, 2016, after the storming of the saudi arabian embassy in tehran reuters 2016. The expansionist policy of iran towards the shia population living across the arab world, and its attempts to increase its own influence, caused tensions to escalate between iran and saudi arabia. In reference to tensions between the united states and iran and its relations with both countries, prime minister hamad bin jasim stated that qatar would like.
The saudiiranian rivalry and the future of middle east security. Relations congressional research service 1 overview the kingdom of saudi arabias relations with the united states, the countrys stability, and its future trajectory are subjects of continuing congressional interest. Iran, along with most arab countries, believes that israel does not have the right to exist. Managing the saudiiran rivalry council on foreign relations. Since its inception in 1932, saudi arabia has sought to participate in alliances and coalitions to magnify its regional clout. Iran and saudi arabia have no diplomatic relations following an attack on the saudi embassy in. Since islamic revolution 1979 the competition for power, security and regional dominance has resulted in proxy wars in the region, especially, bahrain, lebanon, iraq, syria and yemen. Early relations between saudi arabia and the newly independent state of bangladesh where lacking substance from 1971 due to saudi arabias close relationship with pakistan with which it had just fought a 9month war of independence, claiming the lives of 3 million bangladeshis and displacing 10 million in india. Iransaudi arabia relations and regional order adelphi series chubin, shahram on. In iran, protestors burn part of the saudi embassy in tehran and storm the compound. Pdf relations between tehran and riyadh as two key players and two. In july 2016, the council on foreign relations center for preventive.
This study analyzes the saudiiranian struggle for influence in iraq, the persian gulf, lebanon and. Sep 16, 2019 in the past 15 years in particular, the differences between saudi arabia and iran have been sharpened by a series of events. In the interest of academic freedom and the principle of free speech, approval of this. From them also, thrust up in the wake of the volcanic activity of late pliocene times, came diorite and obsidian, both highly prized in antiquity. On the arabian peninsula, he concludes, there was little or no receptivity to any kind of shiainspi. Oct 22, 2017 the saudi arabiaus partnership is a defining pillar of middle eastern geopolitics. More information about the islamic republic of iran is available from the department of state and other sources. Oman was the only gcc state not to downgrade its relations with iran in connection with a january 2016 saudi iran dispute. 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. Saudi arabia may have gotten more than it bargained for when authorities in khujand. Saudi arabia opposed qatars relations with iran, it being the saudi kingdoms biggest enemy. Visit our website for other free publication downloads. And the uae downgrades its relations with the islamic republic. Feb 27, 2014 early relations between saudi arabia and the newly independent state of bangladesh where lacking substance from 1971 due to saudi arabias close relationship with pakistan with which it had just fought a 9month war of independence, claiming the lives of 3 million bangladeshis and displacing 10 million in india.
Your donations allow us to invest in new open access titles and pay our bandwidth bills to ensure we keep our existing titles free to view. The chinairan relationship could detract from chinas efforts to enhance its international image as a responsible player. Future of usiran relations al jazeera center for studies. Relations between the two countries have not been good since. 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. Article pdf available december 2018 with 3,121 reads. It moved from the stage of diplomatic protocols to the.
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