This collection should be of considerable interest to students of international relations, particularly those with an interest in the politics of the middle east and north africa. Korea, the middle east arab israeli or gulf security and south asia the status of kashmir and nuclear proliferation. Iranian relations and stability in the persian gulf. Relations between iran and syria a marriage of convenience.
The iran project iran and the arab world after the nuclear deal. Today, that balance has shifted toward iran, although the internal unrest within iran following its 2009 presidential election may significantly constrain iran s maneuverability abroad. Arab league iran relations refer to political, economic and cultural relations between the mostly shia persian country of iran and the mostly sunni and arab organization arab league within the middle east, historical conflicts have always coloured neighbouring arab countries perceptions about iran. Iran s leaders stress that iran s welldeveloped civilization and historic independence give it a right to be recognized as a major power in the region. Iran and saudi arabia have had no diplomatic relations following an attack on the saudi. Iran syrian relationships and the interference in lebanese and palestinian affairs. Iran and the arab revolutions 1 introduction iran counts as one of the non arab states in the region which nonetheless has an impact on the arab countries. In may 2009 hussein husseini, the director of the organization for developing commerce with arab and african countries, told a seminar devoted to iranianafrican cooperation that iran had formulated a. Managing the saudiiran rivalry council on foreign relations. Saudi arabia and iran established diplomatic relations in 1929 following the signing of a saudiiranian friendship treaty. Iran and the arab countries, especially those of the neighboring countries.
The arab spring has intensified the historic rivalry between turkey and iran, two of the. Before the islamic republic of iran was formed in 1979, relations between. Iran serves to underpin the movements selfappointed leadership role in promoting islamic unity worldwide. The 2010 arab spring in the region whereby the us lost its credibility at the cost of democracy vs stability growing iranian regional influence and chaos and unrest in the entire arab world compelled the us to rethink its policy of denial to. Iran track ii initiatives are unique because they occur in the absence of official relations, which ceased in 1980. Saudiiranian rivalry in bahrains and yemens arab spring scielo. Syria is iran s only true state ally in the middle east.
Even the prospect of improved brotherhoodiranian ties could serve as a bargaining chip to extract concessions from. The impact of iranian geopolitical situation on the iranian. This research examines the determinants of the geopolitical role and its impact on the nature of iranian arab relations during the study period that has extended since common protests broke out in arab countries and the. In the past he has worked on arab spring and the principle of humanitarian intervention specially the concept of responsibility to protect. Indicating some positive trends in the bilateral relations, he noted that the data on trade represents a good level of improvement since the fall in early 20052009. Yemens government, as well as the arabs, accused iran of arming the.
In 1971, iran seizes three islands in the persian gulf which the united arab emirates uae still claim today. Iran continues to be a top israeli security concern. It also considers it practical to maintain good relations with iran, given its status as a regional power. Jan 07, 2019 only on issues related to iran has the united states had. The arab region is exclusively recognized as its strategic position and the. Bilateral relations between the countries have been strained over several geopolitical issues such as the interpretations of islam, aspirations for leadership of the islamic world, oil export policy and. Iran and the arab spring carnegie endowment for international. Prospects for arab iranian conflict and cooperation relations between iran and its arab neighbours have been marked by a. Iran, being one of the dominating super powers in the region has been known for its aggressive role in the entire world. Relations between iran and saudi arabia have never been at a desirable level. The role of media and conflict in arab iranian relations 3. The findings of this study demonstrate the effect of this conflict in the middle east.
Iran s national interests sometimes conflict with iran s ideology. Pakistan sided with iran as opposed to its policy of neutrality. The saudis have also used their economic power to strengthen their bilateral ties to djibouti, somalia, and eritrea, all of which have cut their ties to iran. During the iran iraq war, syria sided with non arab iran against iraq and was isolated by saudi arabia and some of the arab countries, with the exceptions of libya, lebanon, algeria, sudan and oman. Irans relations with its gulf arab neighbours are only marginally related to territorial conflicts. Syria cooperates with iran in providing lebanese hezbollah with arms. The israelipalestinian issue is a key component of iran s arab. Most of them are loyal to iran and not to the countries in which they live. In a serot irn 1,1 essio mat imp act of ideology, united states poll. And tehrans efforts to incite revolution and undermine secular arab governments, except for syria, distracted israels adversaries. A good era of pak iran relations started due to comembership of cento by both neighboring countries. Pdf conflicts between iran and the gulf arab states. The arab worlds relations with iran are marked by deep mistrust following centuries of religious and political rivalry.
Arab league iran relations refer to political, economic and cultural relations between the mostly shia persian country of iran and the mostly sunni and arab organization arab league. At times peacefully coexisting, while at other times in bitter conflict. Conference briefing paper november 2011 arab iranian relations. Within the middle east, historical conflicts have always coloured neighbouring arab countries perceptions about iran. Contemporary relations between pakistan, iran and saudi. This complexity is present in the political actions taken by iran and saudi arabia, as well as the domestic and foreign policies they are embracing. Tensions perhaps ease with khomeinis death in 1989, although his last. Saudi arabia is a sunnimajority, ethnically arab country. The longstanding thorny shatt al arab conflict between baghdad and. This paper seeks to examine the official positions the islamic republic of iran, including those positions held both by.
The islamic republic of iran and the kingdom of saudi arabia are two rival powerhouses in the middle east, and their complicated relationship has. Edited by hooshang amirahmadi and nader entessar iran and. The arab spring of discontent einternational relations. Developments in iran and the arab world since 2003 2. Because of irans geostrategic location on the persian gulf. Pakistaniran relations in the evolving international environment. Iran s 1979 revolution, the fall of saddam hussein in iraq and the arab spring in turn increased the disagreement. This paper investigates the roots of iranian foreign policy toward iraq and. In a bestcase scenario, normalization would involve the inclusion of iran in new regional security arrangements. In the wake of growing tensions, foreign minister mohammad javad zarif stated that iran sought good relations with saudi arabia, the united arab emirates, and their allies, and called on them to end their dispute with qatar. The decadesold saudi iranian rivalry has been once again thrust into the spotlight.
Tehran, unlike the six gcc members, governs a country that is iranian, not arab. Syria, a secular pan arab country, and iran, an islamic republic, couldnt be further away ideologically. North yemen the yemen arab republic or yar had very bad relations. Jan 27, 2021 arab israeli common cause could intensify, dwindle, or fluctuate in countering iran and perhaps even turkey and qatar, two countries that provide some support for sunni islamist movements. The akp government has launched a very active diplomatic effort, with the support of turkeys business community, to encourage stronger economic ties with iran as well as with arab countries. On the other hand, iran shared common interest with israel in. Pakistaniran relations in the evolving international. Until the 2003 iraq war, the regional balance of power has always involved arab powers and iran. Arab countries that enjoy good relations with both the united states and iran. While the relationship has for the last fortyodd years witnessed its share of ups and downs, beginning a steep decline following the 1979 revolution in iran and its concomitant regional reverberations, the current climate of hostility is unprecedented, as are the regionwide repercussions of geo.
In july 2016, the council on foreign relations center for preventive action held a workshop on the growing tensions between saudi arabia and iran. This also depicts a sharp divide in the us about normalization of relations with iran. Irans relations towards iraq, syria and lebanon under ahmadinejad. Iran once again back to a policy of confrontation 4. However, relations deteriorated rapidly during and after the islamic revolution in 1979. Irans relations with its gulf states neighbors, never warm and seldom cordial, have. Regionally, iran has poor relations with its arab neighbors. Iran pakistan relations about iram the current state of affairs. Relations are reestablished in 1991, with saudi arabia and iran both united in opposition to the iraqi invasion of kuwait. Why the current map is better, is that it shows the various definitions of the arab world, including the maximal definition. The 1988 ceasefire between iran and iraq removed any basis for. While iran s traditional influence in the horn of africa was once a threat to saudi ara. Iran relations have remained very tense and hostile. The iran project iran and the arab world after the nuclear.
As one of iran s few arab allies during the war, syria shut down an iraqi oil pipeline kirkukbaniyas pipeline to deprive the iraqis of revenue. Nowhere have these changes been more profound than in irans relations with the arab world. Iran is a country, the arab world is not and several definitions exist about what countries are arab. Syria and threatened irans only arab ally, iran moved to defend the syrian. Saudi arabia and iran disagree during those years on the recognition of israel, and in particular on the independence and territoriality of the smaller gulf states. In the years after the arab uprisings, the rivalry between sunni and shii has become increasing. During the iran iraq war, the us had sided with saudi arabia and other arab countries against iran.
In recent years, israel and arab gulf states have discreetly cultivated closer relations. The expansion of economic relations with iran is part of turkeys initiative to expand trade relations with its middle eastern neighbors. The january 2021 shift of israel from the purview of u. Second, the mother tongue of millions of iranians is farsi, not arabic. Relations between saudi arabia and the islamic republic of iran are arguably at an alltime low. The impact of iranian geopolitical situation on the. Relations continued until 1943 when an iranian pilgrim, abu taleb yazdi, was executed by the saudi government who allegedly threw his vomit on the kaba. Apr, 2009 iran and its arab neighbours have maintained a wary, yet stable relationship throughout the 20th century.
This chapter accordingly begins with a summary and brief analysis of arab expert opinion in order to elucidate the broader trends and patterns of analytic thought on iran and the arab world. A decade of change 2 iran and the uprisings 3 the rise of turkey 4 enduring paradigms. Edited by hooshang amirahmadi and nader entessar iran and the. Persian gulf statesforeign relations united states. Iran and saudi arabia have had no diplomatic relations following an attack on the saudi embassy in tehran in january 2016 after saudi arabia executed sheikh nimr alnimr, a shia cleric. Prospects for arab iranian conflict and cooperation relations between iran and its arab. This chapter presents an overview of iranian saudi arabian relations since the revolution. The connections deepened after the rcd was formed in 1964 by pakistan, turkey, and iran. Turkishiranian relations in a changing middle east rand. Welcome to the joint crisis committee on the iransaudi arabia conflict at the fifth annual. Jun 18, 2019 however, the syria iran axis proves the opposite. The akp government has launched a very active diplomatic effort, with the support of turkeys business community, to encourage stronger economic ties with iran as well as with arab.
Within the literature on saudiiranian relations are three main approaches that seek. The islamic revolution estranged iran s relations with the us. Individual states have, by and large, sought to manage their political and economic relations with tehran bilaterally. Central command may increase arab israeli military interoperability. Along with the afghan factor, the state of us iran relations also affected the pak iran equation quite adversely. Although iran s foreign relations had improved under khatami, in the early 2000s earlier progress was eroded by iran s ostensible support of terrorist groups in the middle east and conflict with the european union and the united states over iran s nuclear program. Thereafter, the chapter turns to an examination of. This notwithstanding, they manage to maintain a working relationship. The revolution transformed relations between iran and syria, which had often been hostile under the shah. The reason why the same is not applied for iran, is simple. This report analyzes the evolution of turkishiranian relations.
Bahrain, an archipelago of 33 islands located on the. Iran s support to dissident groups in saudi arabia and other gulf states further contributes to frosty relations. The good relations of iran and pakistan are evident from iran s sincere effort to settle. The iran iraq war weakened both countries, in turn improving israels strategic environment. Bahrain remains a disputed issue in iran gulf arab relations, although iran no longer officially claims bahrain as a part of its territory. For nearly four years the iran iraq war has been the primary source of instability in the. The imperial component in irans foreign policy towards. Discourses of conflict and cooperation by elizabeth iskander dinam fellow, department of international relations london school of economics and political science contents introduction 2 20012011. And yet this alliance has always been stabilised by common threats.
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