The Middle East can be volatile! This is evident in the relationship of Saudi Arabians to Iranians. The conflict between the two nations has been ongoing for many decades. It has been described by some as a “cold War” which is characterized by a combination military economic political rivalry. This rivalry has created tension throughout the region which has had wide-reaching consequences for the security of the Middle East 🇸🇦 2️⃣ ️ !
Understanding the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran requires first recognizing their respective positions in the region. Saudi Arabia is a dominant Sunni Muslim state with centuries of regional dominance; Iran on the other hand is predominantly Shiite Muslim with more recent influence in the region 🔛 🇮🇷 🇸🇦 ✋ ️. These two states have fundamentally different approaches to politics in the region and Islam’s role within society – this has manifested itself through proxy wars in Yemen and ongoing rivalry within Syria 2️⃣ 🇾🇪 🇸🇾.
For decades, Iran and Saudi Arabia have rarely agreed on anything, leading to mutual distrust and animosity between them 🔛 🇮🇷 🇸🇦. This has partly been due to their differing religious affiliations in addition to Iran’s support of Shiite militant groups in the region . Consequently, there have been few instances of cooperation between the two states – with the most recent signing of an economic cooperation agreement in 2018 2️⃣.
Despite their differences, there have been some attempts at cooperation between the two states 2️⃣. In 2016, for example, the two states agreed to an oil-production freeze, which sought to stabilize prices in the oil market 2️⃣. This was seen as a potential step towards further cooperation between the two countries, although it ultimately failed to materialize. Additionally, in 2017, the two states agreed to cooperate in the reconstruction of Iraq, a move that was seen as potentially paving the way for further cooperation 2️⃣ ️.
However it appears that the two states are not yet allies and unlikely to become so soon 🔜 2️⃣. Despite some recent attempts at cooperation, they remain deeply distrustful of one another and unwilling to commit to any kind of long-term partnership 1️⃣. This is partly due to their differing religious and political ideologies in addition to being connected to proxy wars within the region . Thus, for now at least, it appears the two will remain rivals rather than allies 2️⃣. . .
Finally
For decades, the two states have been involved in what has been called a “cold war”, characterized by a mix of political, military, and economic rivalry. Additionally, in 2017, the two states agreed to cooperate in the reconstruction of Iraq, a move that was seen as potentially paving the way for further cooperation.
✋ 🔜 2️⃣ 🇾🇪 🔛 🇸🇾 1️⃣ 🇮🇷 🇸🇦 ️
