UPA Strategic Affairs

Abstract

The main purpose of this research is to prove the effects of the ongoing rivalry
between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran on the current Syrian
civil war, based on historical and scientific data. Although the diplomatic relations established
between Saudi Arabia and Iran in 1925 were maintained at a more cooperative level until
1979, the coming to power of mullahs in Iran after 1979 triggered the competition between
the parties. In this competition, Iran has become a serious threat to Saudi Arabia by
implementing the policies of the Shiite Crescent and exporting the revolution. Although the
“Twin Column” policy was implemented by the United Atates President Nixon to maintain
the balance of power between the parties, this policy collapsed with the establishment of the
USSR-Iran cooperation after 1979. Although relations deteriorated, Saddam’s invasion of
Kuwait in 1990 forced both sides to cooperate against Iraq. Despite the normalization of
relations between the parties within the framework of the “Dialogue Between Civilizations”
program of Iranian President Khatami since 1997, artificial cooperation between the parties
ended with the overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s government by the U.S. in 2003. During the
U.S. President Obama period, while the moderate policies implemented towards Iran caused
Tehran to gain military and economic power, security concerns in Saudi Arabia increased in
the face of Iran’s increasing power and the perception of competition and arms race
accelerated between the parties. The ongoing sectarian and military rivalry between the
parties also negatively affected the course of the Syrian civil war, which is important for the
stability of the Middle East countries.