The announcement of the China-brokered Iran-KSA normalization plan triggered pearl-clutching around the globe. Some headlines even implied that Israel’s PM Netanyahu was surprised by the news, even though the negotiations have been ongoing since early in the Biden administration’s tenure. Indeed, there are signs that the Beijing-backed phase of the talks that began in Iraq […]
On Saturday afternoon November 4th from the Saudi capital of Riyadh, now former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri declared he resigned due to threat of assassination, saying, “I have sensed what is being plotted covertly to target my life.” The BBC reported that Hariri made multiple trips to Saudi Arabia (KSA) over the couple of […]
Saudi Arabia and Iran project influence using their interpretations of Islam and the politicization of sectarian identities as instruments of foreign policy.
The rally has done more damage to the constructive elements of the Iranian society by linking them to the Western forces and Saudis.
One year after the nuclear deal, how has the lifting of sanctions affected regional security after Iran’s return to the international scene?
There is little chance that Iran and the Arab monarchies, led by Saudi Arabia, can countenance each another’s respective aspirations. The U.S. is trying to make a deal with Iran while still tying itself to the demands of its other security partners in the region.
The Iran-Saudi “cold war” carries, for both countries, a dimension that raises particular security concerns: the presence of minority communities in their respective backyards that show sympathy to the other side due to domestic repression.
It is no secret that Arab governments have long worried about Iran’s growing influence in the region and they are trying to limit Iranian influence among its population. Here are some of the current news stories that highlight this tense relationship between Arab countries and Iran: Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) reported that Arabsat, leading […]
Anytime there is a Shia rebellion in the Arab world, Iran gets excoriated. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have blamed Iran for fomenting Shia unrest in their country, and now Yemen is following the same footsteps. A leading Yemeni religious leader has accused Iran of inciting violence in the north of the country, where a predominantly […]
This Al Jazeera program provides a very interesting discussion on the whether there has been a loss of legitimacy since the disputed election and if the escalation of protests will affect Iran’s regional role. The program also provides a background on the Iranian history and Iran’s influence in the region. [kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/k-F_9qV0AYE” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” […]
As tension between Iraq and Syria grows, it looks like Iran is stepping in to play the mediator role between the two neighbors. The already poor relationship between Iraq and Syria deteriorated further in the aftermath of August 19th suicide attacks in Baghdad that left 100 people dead. Iraq has accused Syria of sheltering the […]
A recent comment by the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, during his visit to the United States, has caused an outrage among some Iranian officials, once again highlighting the tense relationship shared between the two countries. According to the Fars News Agency, addressing Jewish leaders in a closed meeting in Washington, President Mubarak said, “There is […]