Iran-Saudi Arabia relations after 1979: interests in the Persian Gulf

The article explores the dynamics of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia starting at the period of the Islamic revolution in 1979 and up to the current stage. A special emphasis is placed upon the correlation of interests of the two power centers of the Islamic world in the Persian Gulf zone. The tools that Tehran and Riyadh have used to strengthen their positions within the framework of the Persian Gulf relations complex are analyzed, including instrumentalization of the religious factor, creation of military blocs, and use of proxy forces. The paper compares the course of Saudi Arabia and post-revolutionary Iran in two vectors: regional and religious. It is noted that the relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia have gone through the stages of confrontation and cooperation, which have been triggered by personal ambitions, on the one hand, and the desire to stabilize the regional situation, on the other.

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