Iran–Saudi Arabia relations
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The Islamic Republic of Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have no diplomatic relations following an attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran in January 2016. Bilateral relations between the countries have been strained over several geo-political issues such as the interpretations of Islam, aspirations for leadership of the Islamic world, oil export policy and relations with the United States and other Western countries.
Saudi Arabia is a conservative Sunni absolute monarchy established in 1932, with a tradition of close ties to the United States and the United Kingdom. Modern Iran is a Twelver Shia Islamic republic founded in 1979, with a political system that includes elements of a parliamentary democracy vetted and supervised by a theocracy governed by an autocratic "Supreme Leader".
Both countries are major oil and gas exporters and have clashed over energy policy. Saudi Arabia, with its large oil reserves and smaller population, has a greater interest in taking a long-term view of the global oil market and incentive to moderate prices. In contrast, Iran is compelled to focus on high prices in the short term due to its low standard of living given recent sanctions after its decade old war with Saddam's Iraq and its larger population.
In the Syrian Civil War Iran has supported the Syrian government militarily and with billions of dollars of aid, while Saudi is a major supplier of aid to rebel groups. Both countries have accused each other of support for terrorism.
See also
- Nimr al-Nimr
- Foreign relations of Iran
- Foreign relations of Saudi Arabia
- Iran–Arab relations
- Iran–Saudi Arabia football rivalry
- Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict
- 2017 Qatar diplomatic crisis
- Iran–United States relations
