The Foundations of the Iran-Saudi Arabia Struggle in the Syrian Crisis

The conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia is a traditional conflict with very strong roots. The two countries have not been able to experience lasting peace and convergence, apart from acting under the format of the twin pillars policy of Henry Kissinger before the Islamic Revolution in Iran. A part of the struggle is related to the two countries’ religious-sectarian structure, but the subject of religion cannot explain the formation or emergence of the struggles between the two countries. Therefore, the question is “what are the roots of the formation of the Iran-Saudi Arabia struggle in the region, especially in the Syrian crisis?”

In order to thoroughly examine the struggle, the theoretical framework of geopolitics was adopted. The current paper, while adopting the theoretical framework of geopolitics, tries to examine the main roots of the emergence of the Iran-Saudi Arabia struggle in the region, with an emphasis on the Syrian crisis.

The findings of this study show that the four mainly geopolitical factors of “balance of threat”, “competition for hegemony in the region”, “preparations in the geopolitical conflict between the West and the East” (the new Cold War), and finally “the Axis of Resistance and geopolitical expansion of Iran from Tehran to the Mediterranean” are the most important factors behind the emergence of the struggle between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

The identity-normative components act as catalysts to intensify the struggle between Iran and Saudi Arabia and are manifested as two main rifts – one being the religious rift (Shia vs. Sunni) and the other being the nationalistic rift (Persian vs. Arab).