IRAN VS SAUDI ARABIA

Casco William, Guevara René

Hegemonic Rivalry Explained

• We will approach the hegemonic rivalry between Iran and Saudi

Arabia through the theory of constructivism. We will try to
explain the main events that led to this rivalry using this theory.
• The rivalry started in 1979, protests against the Shah (monarch
king) within Iran lead to the Iranian Revolution and this
produced the instauration of Sharia (Islamic law)  as the ruling
form of government. With Ayatollah Khomeini at its head this
new Iranian government was essentially Shia ruled and
promoted the end of autocratic rule and repression, so basically
the end of monarchies as a form of government.
• Saudi Arabia ruled by the royal family and Wahabis (traditional
Islamist) feared the Shia constructed rule in Iran will spread over
the middle east. The minority Shia population in Saudi Arabia,
encouraged by the revolution itself and by Iranian radio stations,
took over oil fields in the eastern province in order to demand
more rights
Constructivism Prevaluation of the Religion Vision

"The fact that social structures are defined by shared knowledge is conducive to
the nature of relationships between actors being either cooperative or conflictual."
• Two of Islam's holiest sites, Mecca and Iran is home to the largest population of Shiites
Medina, are located in Saudi territory, and, since the 1979 revolution, is also the
allowing them to claim some leadership undisputed leader of that community
among the Sunnis, the majority and most worldwide.
conservative current of Islam.

Constructivism sees the reason for the

Both countries see themselves conflict between these two countries as
as the representatives of two the divergence of views on a shared
different versions of Islam. knowledge: ISLAM.
• The most notable contrast between the two
nations is the self-proclaimed role of the
"desert kingdom" as protector of Sunni
interests vis-à-vis Iran, the Shiite Persian state,
whose leaders, since the 1979 Islamic
Revolution, see their country as a natural
leader and defender of the Shiites throughout
the region.

• Since the Iranian Revolution of 1979, both

arrogate to themselves the right to speak for
the entire Muslim world.
 Prevalence of the Political Ideology

FRIEND ENEMY

Another significant difference arises from their relationship with the United States, a country with which Saudi Arabia
maintains a long-standing alliance, while Iran sees its most dangerous enemy there.
Ayatollah Khomeini never missed an opportunity to condemn Saudi Arabia and its support for the United States."

Both have shared knowledge about the "power" (constructed concept) of the United States,
so one relies on it and the other fears it.
Sunni Identity (Saudi
Arabia)
• Saudi Arabia presents Chies as
pagan minority
• Defending the Status Quo against
the Iranian Revolution
• Exporting transnational Salafist
identity as a response to
revolution
• Wanted is Muslim regional
leadership.
 Prevalence of Culture

SAUDI ARABIA IRÁN

CONSERVATIVE MORE LIBERAL

From a constructivist point of view, we can say that the new national identity constructed through the revolution started to be
sectarian, “the schism that exists between the Sunnis and Shi’ites is an issue that encompasses transnational legitimacy and
identity-based claims” (Grumet, 2015, p. 25) and as we know the state’s identity is a mirror of the national interest. As we can see
there is a rivalry that starts in the ethnic and religious aspect, for the Iranian side the national identity started to be constructed
through Shia believes while the Saudi Arabian identity was traditionally Sunni. 
Cheetah Identity
(Iran)
• It is configured in the past with the impersonation of Ali in the selection
of the first caliph.
• Personality of political leader reflects the identity of the country.
• Political institutions are under the supervision of the supreme leader
who forms the conceptual lines of domestic and foreign policy while the
elected government only implements those policies.
• Chita identity does not mean an alliance or allegiance, but threat is used
to try to renegotiate the national pact in their individual countries and to
give themselves more rights.

• Chitas are an alliance of states at the regional level as by all the followers
of the Shiite in all Muslim countries and Iran.

• Iran exploits national pride and anti-Westernism at the national level,

which is why despite economic sanctions the announcement to produce
uranium for military purposes persists.
 Transnational Identities
• Exporting their religious values
to contain the other's gains from
it.
• The expansion of the other's
influence as the loss for one to
counter.
• Iran backs Shiite minorities,
nonmilitant actors and regimes
hostile to Saudi Arabia 
• Saudi Arabia uses its relations
with the U.S. to contain Iran's
efforts in the Middle East
Containment of transnational identities
IRAN
 In Iran, Sunni literature and teaching in public schools and
the construction of Sunni mosques are suspended.
 Support to the Houthi and Hezbollah movement with
resources and war material.
SAUDI ARABIA
 In Iran, Sunni literature and teaching in public schools
and the construction of Sunni mosques is suspended.
 Establishment of Wahhabism with soft power in the
Islamic world through subsidized educational programs.

 Marginalization and control of the Chita population.

 Marginalization and control of Sunni population.

 Acceptance of Chita government in Iraq without Iranian

 Support for the Arab Spring as a continuation of the Arab interference.
revolution in Bahrain, Tunisia and Egypt.
 Sending troops to Bahrain and Yemen in the face of the
risk of the expansion of Chism.
 Support for the Muslim Brotherhood because of links with
the ideas of Hassab el Banna and Qutb (Khomeini's
inspiration).

By way of conclusion: While the influence derived from the international system has caused a great impact on these two actors, Saudi Arabia has also tried to
counter Iran's growing influence where factors such as state identity and perceptions and ideas between the states have played an important role as these have
been instrumental in explaining the foreign policy behavior of the two countries, and how these have shaped or influenced each other's behavior. Constructivist
theory proved to be an appropriate framework for the analysis of this rivalry as it helped in understanding the relevant variables in both Iran and Saudi Arabia,
which could explain their behavior
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