نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
عنوان مقاله English
نویسندگان English
The West Asia region, due to geopolitical rivalries, abundant energy resources, and the pursuit of regional leadership roles, has consistently experienced instability and crises. One of the factors contributing to crises in the geopolitical landscape of West Asia is the regional competition between the Islamic Republic of Iran, pursuing a Shiite geopolitical discourse, and Saudi Arabia, under the banner of Wahhabi-Salafi discourse. According to the zero-sum game model, geopolitical rivalries play a decisive role in regional equations and relations, particularly in organizing security arrangements. The combination of geopolitics and discursive competition has led these two significant actors in West Asia to adopt different security arrangements. This study attempts to examine the regional policies of these two actors in the security context of West Asia from a comparative perspective based on the theory of war and peace. The central question of this research is: How have the geopolitical rivalries between Iran and Saudi Arabia affected the regional order of West Asia? The research hypothesis posits that the geopolitical rivalries between Iran and Saudi Arabia have manifested in two different security arrangements, resulting in a tense environment in West Asia and minimizing the possibility of stability. This research employs a descriptive-analytical method, relying on documentary and library data. The findings indicate that Saudi Arabia, by supporting Takfiri movements, aims to reduce Iran's strategic power and geopolitical activities. Conversely, Iran, by pursuing a geopolitical funnel strategy, seeks to maintain its influence from the Mediterranean coasts (Palestinian resistance groups, Ḥamās, Ḥizb Allāh, Syria) to the Red Sea (Anṣār Allāh in Yemen). Therefore, unless both countries agree on a more affirmative type of regional order in West Asia, Iran and Saudi Arabia will remain entangled in crises within the region.
کلیدواژهها English
