Islamic Republic of Iran vs Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A Struggle for Regional Hegemony through Oil Politics

Abstract

The Middle Eastern region is rich in its oil sources and it is a hub of major oil producer and exporters of the world. Among many oil-producing states, there are two who have always stood on the face of each other for creating their dominance and hegemony in the region. These are the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Both the countries have been historic rivalries due to their ideological differences from the beginning, but now they stand on the verge of political and economic differences too. The intervention of the foreign powers and the involvement of their interests has added fuel to fire in the rivalry of these two Islamic oils producing states. The economy being US centered, and the rates of the oil being defined by the international market, has been used as a tool to incorporate with the US vested interests and to its ally Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, the support of Russia is towards Iran which again is an historic rival of the US. Hence both the Middle Eastern Rivals are now in a fight against each other for creating their regional hegemony and dominance. This study searches on the factors, which are becoming the key players to form this hegemony. It also emphasis on the viewpoints of Iran and Saudi Arabia and tries to navigate the demand and desire of both of the states. The complex issue of Saudi-Iran rivalry which has overtime turned into an oil-centric political rivalry has been discussed in detail from the perspective of Iran and Saudi Arabia.