نشریه مطالعات خاورمیانه
سال دوازدهم شماره 4 (پیاپی 45، زمستان 1384 و بهار 1385)

With the important regional developments in the late 1970s, the US two-pillar policy turned into the one-pillar policy thus highlighting the role of Saudi Arabia in US regional policies. This arose from the geopolitical realities of the Middle East in the Cold War period that has kept its importance. Simultaneously two other factors have contributed to the survival of Saudi political system including oil revenues and religion (alliance with the Wahhabi Ulema). The Saudi political system was able to respond to the rise of Arab nationalism, Islamism, democratization and even the challenges derived from the armed religious fundamentalism by relying on this triangle.

Domestic, regional and global developments in the past two decades have created new conditions for the Saudi state which make structural reforms necessary in the country. Given these conditions, this article seeks to examine the process of reforms in the Saudi political system. Counting the factors making the reforms a necessity in the country, the author identifies a variety of barriers to achieve this goal. To him, despite the steps taken, the monopolistic structure of power distribution in the country has not fundamentally changed. Thus as long as the foundations for adequate political participation are not consolidated, there will not be any hope for the permanence of reformist changes.

This article addresses the situation of political participation in Saudi Arabia and its obstacles. Although in recent years notably following King Abdullah’s succession to the throne, important measures were undertaken by the government in order to open political space and to reply to the political and economic demands of the emerging middle class, there are still serious problems in this regard including the activities of the extremist Wahhabi groups and the close links between some members of the ruling dynasty and conservative Saudi Ulema. Now the dilemma is that the pressures exerted by the conservative forces and their obstruction in the way of reforming the Saudi political system may radicalize the society’s demands and may cause the tendency to violence.

The process of economic globalization within the past two decades has influenced the developing countries. Focusing on the important but less attended issue of political economy of environment and adopting the case of Iran, this article seeks to answer the question whether processes of economic globalization contribute to improve the role of state in environment economy or perpetuate the destructive and polluting trends in such countries with the continuity of traditional state roles. According to the author, the decrease in and control of the demolition and pollution in economy environment is a function of state functions respecting transparency, efficiency, and accountability whose achievement is contingent upon further integration of Iran's economy into the world economy.

The advent of the Iranian Revolution led the Shias of Arabia who were passive in the past to engage in civil disobedience. However, the standpoints of the Shii leaders were moderated and since the early 1990s, the Saudi government tried to take steps in order to improve its relations with the minorities. The September 11th events led to the improvement of the government’s relations with the moderate Islamists whether Sunni or Shia. Notwithstanding, further convergence needs serious actions on the part of the government with respect to the Shii presence in formal institutions, relaxation of the remaining constraints on the implementation of Shii rituals and to counter anti-Shiism in mosques and schools.

The question of the Palestinian refugees is one of the most complicated issues in the debates on the Middle East. This has various legal, political, economic and social aspects and has continued to be discussed despite the lapse of six decades since the Palestinian refugees emerged (1948). The world community notably the United Nations has failed to resolve the crisis and in spite of vocal slogans such as human rights and humanitarian law, this huge refugee population is dispersed all around the world particularly in such countries as Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Kuwait and Libya. The situation of the Palestinians residing in Iraq was more acceptable before the fall of Saddam Hussein, but with the new developments in Iraq, the situation of Palestinians residing in Iraq has deteriorated vigorously. This article addresses those new conditions.

The process of Turkey’s membership in the European Union has caused Turkey’s regional relations and policy to enter a new phase. In this article, pointing out Turkey’s membership in the EU, the author studies its impact on the country’s new political position in the region. In the case of Turkey’s membership in the EU, the Middle East region will be highly affected by such a trend and Turkey tries to pursue both its own goals and interests and those of the West byproposing such an ideal. Therefore, it can be claimed that Turkey seeks to complement EU policies and enhance its role in the region through extensive engagement in the region. That is to fill the vacuum arising from its declined strategic importance in the new conditions of the international system. Despite the fact that Turkey’s regional policies have faced certain challenges, it pursues them more vigorously now under far more favorable circumstances.