The Iranian-Saudi Arabian relationship: From ideological confrontation to pragmatic accommodation

Since the Gulf War in 1991, Iran and Saudi Arabia have worked better together than any time in their recent history. The two most powerful states in the Persian Gulf region have continued to cooperate through the war in Iraq since 2003, despite Iran's determination to acquire a nuclear capability. This dissertation examines the nature of the Iranian-Saudi rapprochement to understand why the two states have accommodated each other despite their animosity in the past by examining their foreign relations from the Gulf War to present. The research reveals that the two historic rivals are strengthening their cooperation in response to growing instability in the region as a result of increased U.S. intervention. The nature of their cooperation is not a formal alliance, but a combination of formal and informal measures aimed to alter U.S. behavior in the region whenever possible to prevent American hegemony in the Persian Gulf. The research calls these measures "soft-balancing" and argues that the more aggressive U.S. policies are, the more likely it is that regional states including Iran and Saudi Arabia will adopt measures to contain U.S. hegemonic power. The dissertation analyzes the major implications of its findings for the future of Iraq, Iran's nuclear program and the growing Shi'ite-Sunni Islamic divide.; This study concludes that states are encouraged to balance against U.S. power in areas of the world that are directly threatened by U.S. hegemony, and that the Persian Gulf region will be unable to continue peaceful relations with the world's sole superpower unless U.S. hegemony is contained. Iran and Saudi Arabia enjoy great influence in the region over large segments of the Shi'ite and Sunni populations across the Middle East at a time when anti-American sentiments are on the rise in the region. Iran and Saudi Arabia recognize the role each plays in keeping a fragile peace in the region between Shi'ites and Sunnis. The U.S. should heed the regional trends that make Iranian-Saudi cooperation necessary and avoid stifling constructive measures by Tehran and Riyadh to deal with the region's problems.