Both iran and saudi arabia have found sectarian partners to be the most effective tools for projecting power across the region. The escalating proxy war between the majoritysunni muslim kingdom of saudi arabia and iran, the home of shiite islam, is having repercussions across the middle east. That neither saudi arabian nor iranian leaders are looking to heal their widening breach is not surprising. Doing so could take the form of exercising waivers or exceptions for certain transactions with iran. The conflict between saudi arabia and iran, while historical and religious in origin, has evolved into a geopolitical competition. Policy congressional research service 2 on may 3, 2019, the administration ended two of the seven waivers under the iran freedom and counterproliferation act ifca, p.
The enmity between iran and saudi arabia is a persistent feature of middle eastern geopolitics. Thanks to the vast oil reserves that saudi arabia and iran possessed, postworld war ii, the usa acquired preeminent influence in both countries and the joint angloamerican supported coup. Relations between sunnidominated saudi arabia and shiite iran have long been strained, but the two countries broke off diplomatic ties after saudi arabia executed a shiite cleric in the new year. 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. Jan 04, 2018 saudi arabia and iran s rivalry is key to the middle east in 2018 regional chaos is set to continue with no solution in sight to yemen crisis and power struggle over shape of postwar syria kareem. We know that yemen is important for saudi arabia, and we never want to stab saudi arabia in the back, zarif, irans foreign minister, said. Only 6 percent of trade is conducted within the region, guaranteeing perpetual conflict as history teaches that peace relies upon economic interdependency. Conflict between saudi arabia and iran is not really about religion, but is rather it is driven by a cold war struggle between iran and saudi arabia.
After more than five years of conflict with yemeni rivals backed by saudi arabia and the united arab emirates, the northern yemenibased ansar allahhouthi movement referred to in this report as the houthis have solidified their power, gained territory, and, with the help of iran. Hence, tehran entered into conflict with the west, and the us in particular, as well as with prowestern countries in the region, including saudi arabia. Saudi arabia and iran s battle for control over the middle east reached a fever pitch this weekend with threats of warfare, prompting the world to wonder whether the two regional powers will wage. Schwanitz revolutions are bittersweet moments in history that change a society mostly by bloodshed. As saudiiran tensions increase, the lived experiences and leadership styles of the 78yearold iranian. The great saudiiranian proxy game middle east quarterly. Cyber warfare is an increasingly prominent aspect of the iraniansaudi hegemonic rivalry in the middle east. The middle east appears on the precipice of a great war. The organization of islamic cooperation oicwhich represents the entirety of the muslim worldhas traditionally observed a strict policy of neutrality, preferring to resort to closeddoor diplomacy regarding disagreements among its member states. In relation to the iransaudi arabia conflict, however, the oic openly backed riyadh, which deepened intersectarian rifts within the.
State failure happens when the basic functions of the state provision of security, infrastructure, the rule of law, etc. In relation to the iransaudi arabia conflict, however, the oic openly backed riyadh, which deepened intersectarian rifts within the oic. Alhamdani, baron and almadhaji 2015 argue that even if some level of agreement was reached among local actors, if saudi arabia and iran wanted the conflict to continue, then it would. Analyzing yemens transition from a fragile to a failed state adds another dimension to understanding yemens conflict that expands beyond the saudi versus iran proxy war narrative. 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. From proxy wars to direct war between iran and saudi. The rupture has its roots in a strategic rivalry that stretches across the middle east, says bernard haykel, middle east expert at princeton university. As a means of seeking regional allies and increasing. Jan 11, 2016 pakistan is caught in the middle of the conflict between iran and saudi arabia. Pdf what is really behind the saudiiranian cold war. Shortly after the revolution, iran became mired in a protracted conflict with iraq. The gulf cooperation council was created as a response to irans islamic revolution, which stirred unrest across the middle east, particularly among the. Nov 09, 2017 saudi arabia witnessed, with great concern, irans ability to impose its influence in iraq thanks to the american occupation in 2003, and then in syria with the intensification of the civil war. Iran and saudi arabia are on opposing sides of a more than 1,000year old argument at the heart of islam between sunnis and shia.
In the 1990s, under iranian president ali akbar hashemirafsanjani, saudiiranian relations were marked by detente. Saudiiranian tensions economic effects and political. Nov 09, 2017 iran and saudi arabia, on the two sides of the sunnishiite fault line, are trying to gain influence in reshaping the middle east. As a recent report by the international crisis group notes, tehran believes that it faces a relentless bid by saudi financed sunni jihadists to threaten it from within and without. Hence, regional will to deescalate the conflict will be a necessary condition, but not a sufficient condition for a political settlement. Pakistan is caught in the middle of the conflict between iran and saudi arabia. In the general perspective of the saudi iranian conflict, iran claims to represent the worlds shiites and saudi arabia claims to represent its sunnis, but the power struggle progresses over the. The recent attack on saudi oil tanker, series of drone and missile attacks targeting the arabian military and the kingdom of gulfs direct accusation of irans involvement in it may trigger a war between the two neighbouring countries iran and saudi arabia. Armed proxy conflicts in iraq, syria, yemen and lebanon and political uprisings in egypt and bahrain are widely known to have iranian and saudi political and material support.
For its part, saudi arabia, if it seeks to establish a friendly regime in syria, also needs iran. Saudi arabia and the uae are emerging as the two spearheads around which 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. Saudi arabia and irans rivalry is key to the middle east in 2018 regional chaos is set to continue with no solution in sight to yemen crisis and power struggle over shape of postwar syria kareem. When considering the rationale for the involvement of tehran and riyadh within bahrain, one must consider the internal dynamics of both iran and saudi arabia and how the resolution of internal security dilemmas has fostered increased tensions between the two states. 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. Their nearly forty years long rivalry shows no sign of abating. The new middle east cold war and its affiliates, the emergent islamic state, and other sunni groups are locked in a conflict. This is the case as iran does hold considerable influence on assad and his political and military entourage.
Saudi arabia and the regionalization of yemens conflict. Pdf the saudiiran conflict up close sebastian sons and. The audacious and debilitating drone attacks on two of saudi arabias most important and secure oil facilities at abqaiq and khurais last month have considerably upped the geopolitical ante in the arabian peninsula. Pdf the saudiiran conflict up close sebastian sons. Center for european and north atlantic affairs cenaa, bratislava 2015, 672 pp. His rise has been accompanied with a ratcheting up of hostilities against iran and even war rhetoric. The breach in diplomatic relations between iran and saudi arabia is a dangerous watershed in an already unstable, wartorn region. Jan 27, 2016 hence, tehran entered into conflict with the west, and the us in particular, as well as with prowestern countries in the region, including saudi arabia. Saudi arabia witnessed, with great concern, irans ability to impose its influence in iraq thanks to the american occupation in 2003, and then in. Jan 06, 2019 thanks to the vast oil reserves that saudi arabia and iran possessed, postworld war ii, the usa acquired preeminent influence in both countries and the joint angloamerican supported coup. Competition between iran and saudi arabia has been a staple of regional politics since two momentous events in 1979.
The two major powers in the region, saudi arabia and iran, fan the flames of regional conflict. Saudi crown prince mohammad bin salman mbs is steadily consolidating power in riyadh and positioning himself to become the most powerful ruler in saudi history. Jun 30, 2017 the gulf cooperation council was created as a response to iran s islamic revolution, which stirred unrest across the middle east, particularly among the regions shiite population. One map that explains the dangerous saudiiranian conflict. Iran and saudi arabia, on the two sides of the sunnishiite fault line, are trying to gain influence in reshaping the middle east. Introduction for this study the researcher will examine both the iranian and saudi arabian options of being a superior power in the middle east and the conflict this race to the top. The saudiiran conflict and pakistan by shariq jamal khan. The saudiiranian rivalry and the future of middle east. Saudi arabiairan conflict will crush oil prices further. Jan 04, 2016 iran and saudi arabia are on opposing sides of a more than 1,000year old argument at the heart of islam between sunnis and shia. The qatar crisis project on middle east political science. The 2003 usled invasion of iraq overthrew saddam hussein, a sunni arab. After the death of the prophet muhammad, his followers split. Saudi arabia and irans battle for control over the middle east reached a fever pitch this weekend with threats of warfare, prompting the world to wonder whether the two regional powers will wage.
Oct 15, 2019 the saudiiran conflict and pakistan by shariq jamal khan the audacious and debilitating drone attacks on two of saudi arabias most important and secure oil facilities at abqaiq and khurais last month have considerably upped the geopolitical ante in the arabian peninsula. Saudi arabias defense minister mohammed bin salman, left, meets pakistani prime minister nawaz sharif at the prime. A possible means to deescalate tensions with iran is for the united states to relax its maximum pressure policy on iran. Iran and saudi arabias great rivalry explained bbc news. The iransaudi arabia proxy conflict, sometimes also referred to as the middle eastern cold war 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. The obama administration, whose negotiations with iran on a nuclear deal had rattled saudi arabia, backed the coalition, selling weapons, and providing assistance with refueling and targeting. They are ratcheting up the war between them in their secondary arenas of conflict, namely syria, lebanon, and yemen. In the meantime, washington must do what it can to manage, rather than resolve, the conflict and shape the regional context in its favor. As the word indicates, there is something like a rotation involved. The key regional conflict in syria is now between iran and israel, not iran and saudi arabia, as the latter has withdrawn to focus elsewhere. If left out of the postconflict transition, it could work very hard to wreak havoc and undermine any postassad government. While the conflict isnt new, tensions have ratcheted up and become more violent since donald trump pulled the u.
Escalation in the conflict between iran and saudi arabia. Saudi arabia is the birthplace of islam, and to its holy city of mecca where billion faithful turn five times a day for their prayers. In their struggle for middle east hegemony, iran and saudi arabia have not confronted each other militarily, but rather have divided the region into two armed camps on the basis of political ideology. With the war drums getting perceptibly louder in the region, the.
In the background of these three middle east conflicts is a geopolitical rivalry between shiamajority iran and its sunnimajority neighbor, saudi arabia. One workshop participant explained that the principal sources of. Pompeo, hold views on iran and the muslim brotherhood that are virtually indistinguishable from those in riyadh and abu dhabi. The kingdom of saudi arabia ksa and the islamic republic of iran are rivals in an. It is one of the very important concepts in the field of international relations because it can explain conflict and war. As a result, the tensions reach further than the oil or economic sphere, and become geographical. Its a rivalry thats helped prolong and deepen the strife, as both nations have infused weapons, money and proxy forces into conflicts that have exacerbated sectarian tensions in the region. Why saudi arabia and iran are bitter rivals bbc news.
In the general perspective of the saudiiranian conflict, iran claims to represent the worlds shiites and saudi arabia claims to represent its sunnis, but the power struggle progresses over the. The security dilemma in saudiiranian relations mohamed. Jan 06, 2016 one map that explains the dangerous saudi iranian conflict. The fundamentalist rulers of iran are confident that their goal of establishing a coalition of shia countries and regions under their control is nearing fruition. From proxy wars to direct war between iran and saudi arabia. The ongoing conflict pits iran and its local proxies and allied militias against an uneasy alliance of the u. The conflict between iran and saudi arabia is routinely explained away.
How saudi arabia and irans rivalry fueled conflicts in. Contrasting leadership styles in the saudiiran conflict. As a recent report by the international crisis group notes, tehran believes that it faces a relentless bid by saudifinanced sunni jihadists to threaten it from within and without. In the past 15 years in particular, the differences between saudi arabia and iran have been sharpened by a series of events. Pakistan caught in middle of saudi arabiairan conflict time. Iran and saudi arabia, increasing tensions between the rival countries to unparalleled heights.
Religion is the source of legitimacy for both the ruling family in saudi arabia and the ayatollahs regime in iran. Since 1979, saudiiranian relations have been tense due to their position as. The rivalry explained the enmity between iran and saudi arabia is a persistent feature of middle eastern geopolitics. Following saudi airstrikes in yemen during late march, the iransaudi cyber conflict.
Saudiiranian conflict in an age of sectarianization acw. 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. The security dilemma in saudi iranian relations mohamed bin huwaidin1 introduction the concept of security dilemma emerged as early as the 1950s with the writings of john herz, herbert butterfield, and robert jervis. Saudi arabia has not officially given notice of this ban, but iran has blamed part of its difficulty selling oil on this message being spread by ship brokers and traders. The iransaudi arabia conflict and its impact on the. Saudi arabias involvement clearly lies in its interest in keeping the yemeni allied government in power for these reasons while iran saw the weak state as an opportunity to gain advantage over saudi arabia in yet another conflict and used its shia ties to the revolutionaries to gain access.