When Security Imperatives meet Sectarian Temptations: the Tehran-Riyadh rivalry

This paper discusses how security considerations and sectarianism have served Iran Saudi Arabia as mutually reinforcing tools in their strife to secure positions the struggle for regional influence standing. It premises that no single factor can explain this conflict its proper understanding requires a more comprehensive approach links factors analyses joint impact. The main hypothesis is an analysis of impacts sectarianism, both individually dynamics, allows credible Iran-Saudi conflict. discussion studies approaches sides adopted they dealt with developments made efforts preserve legitimacy internal stability. contextualizes these rivalry during era Shah, Iranian revolution, Iran-Iraq War, end Cold 2003 US invasion Iraq, Arab uprisings 2011, particularly Syria. study proposes impacted countries’ decision-making since 1979 help has become essential element Tehran-Riyadh