Saudi Arabia and Iran: Friends or Foes?

280 Pages·2016·3.46 MB·English

by  Banafsheh Keynoush (auth.)

Saudi Arabia and Iran

Saudi Arabia and Iran
Friends or Foes?
Banafsheh Keynoush
SAUDI ARABIA AND IRAN
Copyright © Banafsheh Keynoush 2016
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2016 978-1-137-57627-9
All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication
may be made without written permission. No portion of this publication
may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission. In
accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act
1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by
the Copyright Licensing Agency, Saffron House, 6-10 Kirby Street, London
EC1N 8TS.
Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication
may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
First published 2016 by
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN
The author has asserted their right to be identified as the author of this
work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Palgrave Macmillan in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited,
registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke,
Hampshire, RG21 6XS.
Palgrave Macmillan in the US is a division of Nature America, Inc., One
New York Plaza, Suite 4500, New York, NY 10004-1562.
Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies
and has companies and representatives throughout the world.
ISBN 978-1-349-99536-3 ISBN 978-1-137-58939-2 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-137-58939-2
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Keynoush, Banafsheh, author.
Title: Saudi Arabia and Iran : friends or foes? / Banafsheh Keynoush.
Description: New York, NY : Palgrave Macmillan, 2016. | Includes
bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2015028785 |
Subjects: LCSH: Saudi Arabia—Foreign relations—Iran. | Iran—Foreign
relations—Saudi Arabia. | Middle East—Politics and government—
1979– | BISAC: POLITICAL SCIENCE / International Relations /
Diplomacy. | POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Freedom & Security /
International Security. | POLITICAL SCIENCE / Peace. | SOCIAL
SCIENCE / Regional Studies.
Classification: LCC DS228.I7 K47 2016 | DDC 327.538055—dc23 LC record
available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015028785
A catalogue record for the book is available from the British Library.
In loving memory of:
My grandmother, Effat, who raised me on her lap
My grandfather, Ebrahim Keynoush, a charitable man
and
To my father, for teaching me that the best political
analyst is the most impartial one

Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
Part I A Historical Overview of Saudi–Iranian
Relations
Chapter 1 Overview of Saudi–Iranian Relations 9
Chapter 2 H ow Religion Shaped the Saudi–Iranian Relations 21
Part II Early, Middle, and Post Mid-Twentieth
Century Saudi–Iranian Relations
Chapter 3 Saudi Arabia and Iran in Early Twentieth Century 39
Chapter 4 Early Diplomatic Relations 53
Chapter 5 Diplomatic Relations: 1955–1963 67
Chapter 6 Epoch of Saudi–Iranian Cooperation and Rivalry 85
Part III Saudi–Iranian Relations after the 1979
Iranian Revolution
Chapter 7 Saudi Arabia and Revolutionary Iran 109
Chapter 8 Saudi–Iranian D é tente 131
Part IV How Current Conflicts between Saudi Arabia
and Iran Impact the State of the World
Chapter 9 Saudi Arabia’s and Iran’s Quest for Stability after 9/11 153
viii ● Contents
Chapter 10 Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Gulf Geopolitics:
The Case of Iraq 175
Chapter 11 Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Levant Geopolitics:
The Cases of Lebanon, Syria, Palestine 203
Conclusion 227
Notes 239
Bibliography 261
Index 265
Acknowledgments
A
book of this scale, covering the full history of relations between
Saudi Arabia and Iran, could not have happened without the support
of a few key individuals. I was fortunate that chance, destiny, and
hardwork allowed me to meet them, and I have attempted to remain impar-
tial in the delivery of the message that these individuals with diverse under-
standings of the issue have each imparted to me.
As a sign of respect for Saudi Arabia and its people who hosted me, I
mention them throughout this book before my native land Iran and its peo-
ple who also helped with this research. At the King Faisal Center for Islamic
Studies and Research, I am indebted to its chairman Turki bin Faisal Al Saud
whose vision on the importance of the Saudi–Iranian partnership enabled
me to conduct the field research for this book. The center generously hosted
my umrah trip, enabling me to travel to Makkah and Madinah, and interact
with colleagues in Jeddah. It was, beyond doubt, the most important trip of
my life. My profound gratitude goes to Secretary-General Yahya Mahmoud
bin Jonaid and Dalal Mukhlid Al Harbi. Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the
Gulf Research Center, and his dedicated staff, Bandar and Sonya, helped ease
my trip to Saudi Arabia. I am deeply grateful to Abd al Rahman Al Shobeily,
for his wisdom and support, and to Sami Angawi. There are many others
who have enlightened and informed this book: Abd al-Muhsin Al Akhlas,
Ibrahim Hadlaq, Abdul Rahman Al Hadlaq, Mashaal Al Shemaishy, Saad
Al Ammar, Mishary Al Nuaim, Gaafar M. Al Lagany, Nasser Al Braik,
Osamah Ahmad Al Sanosi, Abdulrahman Al Suhaibani, Awadh Al Badi,
Abdullah Al Shamri, and Basel Raouf Khatib. I am thankful for the friend-
ship of two fellow Fletcher graduates, Jamil Al Dandani who hosted my visit
to Dhahran, and the late Major General Abdulrahman Abdulwahid. Two
Saudi scholars, whose earlier books on the Saudi–Iranian relationship made
the present work possible, deserve special mention: Saeed Badeeb and Faisal
bin Salman Al Saud. The latter along with Abdul Rahman Al Hadlaq and
Saleh bin Suleiman Al Wahaibi, generously gave me their time to meet in