Observing the Variables Affecting the Saudi-Zionist Convergence Based on the Theory of the Regional Security Complex; Subnational Level

One of the most important current challenges in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is to discover the nature, contexts, and consequences of Saudi-Zionist relations. According to Bari Bozan's point of view and in the framework of the regional security complex theory, in addition to international, regional, and interregional variables, identifying Saudi-Zionist subnational level variables influencing these relations is of particular importance. The question of the study, therefore, runs as: what are the expected variables at the transnational level? In response to the question, the hypothesis is raised that social, religious, ethnic divisions as well as the political, economic, security-military, and geopolitical weaknesses within the Saudi and Zionist societies are the basis of this convergence. The findings of this research, while confirming the aforementioned hypothesis, show that at the sub-national level of Saudi Arabia, the consequences of the existence of the two holy shrines, Wahhabism, tyranny, and governance disputes; and at the sub-national level of the Zionist regime, the existence of the security state, political-territorial geography, identity crisis, social gaps and the effect of economic weakness on limiting the military power, more than other internal factors, have an effect on the convergence of the two regimes.