Saudi Arabia and Iran

Edward Wastnidge is Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Studies at the Open UniversitySimon Mabon is Chair of International Politics at Lancaster University

'This is an impressive volume in its scope and its ability to capture nuance in a relationship that is often subject to generalisations and simplified analysis. Wastnidge and Mabon have assembled a solid group of scholars who have managed to make an important and original contribution to a topic that has lately been studied a great deal. I strongly recommend this book for anyone interested in a serious understanding of the complex relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran.'Mehran Kamrava, Professor of Government, Georgetown University Qatar‘Not only does this volume provide a fascinating account of how the Saudi-Iranian rivalry has played out across time and space and impacted regional and domestic politics across the Middle East. It also shows how a stronger dialogue between IR theory and Middle East studies can offer insights into Middle East politics that go beyond the well-known politics v. piety debate.’Morten Valbjørn, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Aarhus University

• Introduction – Simon Mabon and Edward Wastnidge1 The view from Riyadh: a neoclassical realist perspective of Saudi foreign policy toward Iran in the post-2011 Middle East – May Darwich2 Narratives of power politics in the Iran-Saudi relationship: the view from Tehran – Banafsheh Keynoush and Edward Wastnidge3 Competing Islams: religious legitimacy and the foreign policies of Saudi Arabia and Iran – Lucia Ardovini4 The Iran-Saudi Arabia rivalry: rekindling of Shi’a Loyalty and Sunni’ fears in Bahrain – Rashed al-Rasheed5 Iraq and the evolution of Saudi-Iranian relations – Stephen Royle and Simon Mabon6 The irreplaceable piece: Lebanon’s strategic value in the Saudi-Iranian foreign policy chessboard – Hussein Kalout7 Capability and culpability: Iranian and Saudi rivalry in the Syria conflict – Christopher Phillips8 Delegation or intervention: Yemen as a theatre for the rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia – Maria-Louise Clausen9 Conclusion – Edward Wastnidge and Simon MabonIndex