Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy war

2 days ago - As of 2017, the rivalry is primarily a political and economic struggle exacerbated by religious differences, and sectarianism in the region is exploited by both countries for geopolitical purposes as part of a larger conflict. Iran sees itself as the leading Shia Muslim power, while Saudi Arabia ...

December 6, 2025 - The Grand Mufti had given the sermon every year since 1981, but was replaced in 2016 after claiming that the Shi'ite leaders of Iran "are not Muslims." Although the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran has been mostly between themselves, the two nations are also becoming more increasingly tangled in a triangle conflict after neo-Ottomanist Turkey, led by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, demonstrated the desire to restore the Ottoman order that was once imposed at the expense of the Iranians and the Saudis, since the 2010s.

The undisputable rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia may not be in the form of direct armed conflict, however, the serious disagreement between these two countries is clearly manifested in their support of opposing groups in the entire Middle East and beyond, and in their increasing investments ...

September 16, 2024 - As noted in the report, the Gaza war has not hindered the de-escalation process between Saudi Arabia and Iran, although relations have focused on security issues, with no progress in exploring economic and cultural opportunities.

September 16, 2019 - Iran and Saudi Arabia are not directly fighting but they are engaged in a variety of proxy wars (conflicts where they support rival sides and militias) around the region.

September 24, 2024 - Over the past decade, the struggle between Iran and Saudi Arabia for dominance in the Middle East insinuated itself into nearly every regional issue, fracturing international alliances and sustaining wars across the region, while raising fears ...

A year after restoring diplomatic ties, Saudi Arabia and Iran still experience tensions. Conversations and diplomatic reopenings haven't translated into significant agreements due to ongoing regional conflicts and deep-seated distrust, especially concerning their allies and the situations in Yemen and Lebanon.

September 14, 2020 - In the Iran-Iraq War that followed shortly after the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Saudi Arabia supported Iraq, an act that further deteriorated Saudi-Iranian relations. The Saudi decision to support Iraq was based on the Saudi fear that Iran and “its propaganda against the kingdom itself, endangered the Saudi regime and its authority; this is why Riyadh assisted Iraq politically and economically during their conflict with Iran…

The confrontation between the two bitter rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia has engulfed several Middle Eastern countries and many regional and international Islamic organizations, such as the League of Arab States, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

February 21, 2025 - Although this rivalry was once primarily viewed as an ethnic and sectarian conflict between the predominantly Sunni Arab Saudis and the Shiite Persian Iranians, the key dividing line today is ideological. The clash centers on their respective strategic visions—Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and Iran’s Vision 1979.

August 1, 2023 - The bottom-line conclusion is that while reducing the intensity of regional competition may help redirect political energy to the core internal conflicts, the prospect of swift solutions remains slim. The Iranian-Saudi rapprochement may lessen Gulf Arab states’ security concerns. But it does not diminish the risk of a crisis triggered by Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program and the threat it poses, in particular for Israel, but also for some of Iran’s neighbours, including Saudi Arabia.

June 13, 2024 - Instead, Saudi officials see Iran using the Gaza war as an opportunity to destabilise the Middle East and push back against any plan Saudi Arabia might have to normalise relations with Israel.

Saudi Arabia and Iran have often behaved as serious rivals for influence in the Middle East and especially the Gulf area since at least Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution and the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War.

March 20, 2024 - A: Iran and Saudi Arabia have competed in the Middle East for decades, and tension between Saudi Arabia’s Sunni royal family and the Iranian Shiite majority has often led to conflict. The relationship between the two countries deteriorated in 2016 when the Saudi government executed Nimr al-Nimr, a Shiite cleric.

September 30, 2024 - Seeing Riyadh as an increasingly strategic threat, Iran significantly stepped up its support to the Houthis, resulting in at least a 1,000 missile attacks launched from Yemen into the Saudi Arabia between 2018 and 2019, as well as increased IRGC attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. This was a moment of fierce proxy conflict across the region and a collapse in bilateral ties.

October 28, 2024 - While the pact has been effective at containing conflict in the Gulf, cooperation between the two sides remains extremely limited. Communication channels remain open, but there is no active or official coordination on regional security—something that could help dissipate tensions as they arise and prevent dangerous miscalculations. Yes, diplomats do meet, and Saudi Arabia has recently proposed a joint naval exercise in the Red Sea, according to Iranian media.

August 4, 2024 - The Arabs let Americans build military bases in their countries for “defense”, but the Americans bang the war drums against Iran every time a republican takes office. Both sides feel like this conflict is an existential threat to them. The Arabs fear a popular revolution that overthrows the monarchy in Saudi Arabia (like Iran in 1979, or the Arab spring in 2011), while the Ayatollah fears being militarily overthrown by the Americans (who arm and back the Saudis).

March 13, 2025 - As a status quo country in the Middle East, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was challenged by the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, 2023, and the escalating military conflict between the State of Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran.