Explaining the confrontation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia in Yemen in terms of identity-based security

The Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia, as two regional powers, have long been recognized as two main rivals in the Middle East, but in recent years, relations between the two countries have become more complex and new dimensions. Meanwhile, one of the issues that has complicated the dark ties between the two countries in recent years is the crisis and civil war in Yemen. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explain the opposition of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia to the Yemen crisis based on the identity approach and the ontological security theory. In this regard, the author, using a descriptive-analytical method, has sought to answer the fundamental question of how the identity played a role in the opposition between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia in the Yemeni crisis. The hypothesis raised in response to the question is that the contradiction between the Shiite revolutionary identity of Iran and Saudi Arabia's Wahhabi identity is the main reason for the opposition between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia in the Yemeni crisis. Given the Sunni and Wahhabi identity of Saudi Arabia and its concern about the expansion of Shi'a and the strengthening of Iran's influence in the Persian Gulf, and consequently throughout the Middle East, Iran-Saudi Arabia's opposition to Yemen can be explained based on an identity-based security approach. In fact, this means that Iran-Saudi opposition in the Middle East is more influenced by the Shi'ite and revolutionary identities and Sunni-Wahhabi identity of both countries.