Normalization of Diplomatic Relations Between Saudi Arabia and Iran: A Rationality Analysis of Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Policy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22219/gli.v4i2.37150Keywords:
Foreign Policy, Middle East, Normalization, Saudi Arabia, IranAbstract
Saudi Arabia and Iran are prominent countries in the Middle East region. Both countries are engaged in ongoing conflict and competition for influence in the Middle East. In 2023, Saudi Arabia and Iran reached an agreement to restore diplomatic relations, effectively addressing a longstanding conflict. The emergence of this peace agreement is closely associated with China's role as a mediator, facilitated through discreet diplomatic efforts with both countries. The normalization of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran prompts inquiry into the foundations of this agreement, considering the extensive history of discord between the two countries and the persistent civil conflicts in Yemen and Lebanon. This article analyzes the rationality of Saudi Arabia's foreign policy through a literature review and qualitative analysis, employing Graham T. Allison's Rational Actor Model. The findings indicate that Saudi Arabia's choice to reestablish relations with Iran is a logical one. The selected option optimally aligns with Saudi Arabia's national interests, including the enhancement of regional security and influence, the promotion of economic stability, and the fortification of the country's global standing.
Downloads
References
Abbaszadeh, P., Maleki, A., Alipour, M., & Maman, Y. K. (2013). Iran’s oil development scenarios by 2025. Energy Policy, 56, 612–613. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2013.01.026
Ahmadi, S., & Bumi, J. A. S. (2022). Normalisasi Hubungan Diplomatik Uni Emirat Arab – Israel: Analisis Rasionalitas Kebijakan Politik Luar Negeri Uni Emirat Arab. POLITEA, 5(2), 273. https://doi.org/10.21043/politea.v5i2.17203
Ali, N., Mehdi, A., & Ali, K. (2024). China’s Quiet Diplomacy: Assessing its Role in Saudi-Iran Reconciliation Process. Annals of Human and Social Sciences (AHSS), 5(2), 468–475. https://doi.org/10.35484/ahss.2024(5-II)43
Allison, G. T. (1971). Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis. Little, Brown & Company Limited.
Alotaibi, L. (2023, June 23). Saudi Arabia and Iran: Beyond Geopolitics. Carnegie Endowment For International Peace.
Alsmadi, F. (2024, April 19). Opportunities and Challenges Along the Path of Saudi-Iran Relations. Middle East Council on Global Affairs.
Andini, Y. P. (2024). RASIONALISASI KONFLIK INTENASIONAL TERHADAP EKONOMI GLOBAL. EKSYA: Jurnal Ilmiah Ekonomi Syariah, 1(2), 73.
Aprillia, A., & Prasodjo, H. (2023). Analysis of Iran’s Reasons for Normalizing Diplomatic Relations with Saudi Arabia in 2023. Indonesian Journal of Interdisciplinary Islamic Studies (IJIIS), 6(1), 63. https://doi.org/10.20885/ijiis.vol6.iss1.art3
Bainus, A., & Rachman, J. B. (2018). Editorial: Kepentingan Nasional dalam Hubungan Internasional. Intermestic: Journal of International Studies, 2(2), 109. https://doi.org/10.24198/intermestic.v2n2.1
Bilal, M., Aamir, M., Abdullah, S., & Khan, F. (2024). Impacts of crude oil market on global economy: Evidence from the Ukraine-Russia conflict via fuzzy models. Heliyon, 10(1), 1–2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23874
Boucek, C. (2010). Middle East Program War in Saada From Local Insurrection to National Challenge YEMEN: ON THE BRINK A Carnegie Paper Series. www.CarnegieEndowment.org/
Clausen, M. L. (2019). Justifying military intervention: Yemen as a failed state. Third World Quarterly, 40(3), 488–502. https://doi.org/10.1080/01436597.2019.1573141
Clausen, M.-L. (2022). Delegation or intervention. In Saudi Arabia and Iran (p. 161). Manchester University Press. https://doi.org/10.7765/9781526150844.00013
Daud, A. H., Othman, Z., & Idris, N. A. (2018). HUBUNGAN IRAN - ARAB SAUDI DAN KESTABILAN RANTAU TIMUR TENGAH. Malaysian Journal of History, Politics & Strategic Studies, 45(1), 147.
Demirel, H. (2020). Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC): More Than A Branch Of Armed Forces.
Farouk, Y. (2023, March 30). Riyadh’s Motivations Behind the Saudi-Iran Deal. Carnegie Endowment For International Peace. https://carnegieendowment.org/posts/2023/03/riyadhs-motivations-behind-the-saudi-iran-deal?lang=en
Feierstein, G. M., Husari, R., Lister, C., Vatanka, A., & Soliman, M. (2023, April 3). Monday Briefing: Saudi Arabia takes new steps to further strengthen ties to China. Middle East Institute.
Figueroa, W. (2023, March 24). Iran-Saudi Normalization: A Regional Process with Chinese Characteristics. The Foreign Policy Research Institute.
Halim, M., Rezk, W., Darawsheh, S., Al-Shaar, A., & Alshurideh, M. (2023). The Impact of Changes in Oil Prices on the Global and Saudi Arabia Economy (pp. 2519–2540). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12382-5_139
Hussain, S. S. (2024). The Prospects of Normalization and Strengthening of Iran-Saudi Relations and its Implications for the USA. Pakistan Review of Social Sciences (PRSS), 5(1), 1–7.
Jalal, I. (2023, April 5). China and the Saudi-Iran rapprochment: Implications for Yemen. Middle East Institute.
Jie, P. (2023, December 21). Reconciliation a triumph of peace . China Daily Global.
Joffé, E. G. H. (1994). Relations between the Middle East and the West. The Middle East Journal, 48(2), 250–267.
KARAKIR, İ. A. (2018). ONGOING CONFLICT IN YEMEN: A PROXY WAR? TESAM Akademi Dergisi, 5(2), 121–149. https://doi.org/10.30626/tesamakademi.456008
Katulis, B., Maksad, F., Lister, C., Fakir, I., G., M., & Weinbaum. (2023, March 13). Monday Briefing: Four factors to watch to assess the Saudi-Iranian diplomatic opening. Middle East Institute.
Katz, M. N. (2023, April 7). Why would the Saudis normalize relations with Iran? the answer may surprise you. The Hill.
Kerr, P. K. (2018). Iran Nuclear Agreement and U.S. Exit. www.crs.gov
Khalfi, M. A. El. (2020). AGREEMENT ON THE JOINT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION (JCPOA) BETWEEN IRAN AND THE UNITED STATES. Jurnal Pembaharuan Hukum, 7(2).
Liu, Z., & Shu, M. (2023). The Russia–Ukraine conflict and the changing geopolitical landscape in the Middle East. China International Strategy Review, 5(1), 109–110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42533-023-00134-5
Mabon, S. (2015). Saudi Arabia and Iran: Power and Rivalry in the Middle East. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Macaron, J. (2023, August 22). A Three-way US Saudi Israeli Normalization Deal Might be a Tall Order. The Wilson Center.
Middle East Policy Council. (2023, March). The Impact of Iranian-Saudi Normalizaton. The Middle East Policy Council.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China. (2023, March 10). Joint Trilateral Statement by the People’s Republic of China, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People’s Republic of China.
Nawaz, A., Khan, M. A. A., & Noor, Z. (2023). China-US Competition in the Middle Eastern Political Chessboard: An Analysis. PAKISTAN LANGUAGES AND HUMANITIES REVIEW, 7(I), 313–321. https://doi.org/10.47205/plhr.2023(7-i)28
Rafsanjani, M. N. (2022). POTENSI NORMALISASI HUBUNGAN DIPLOMATIK ARAB SAUDI DAN IRAN TAHUN 2016-2022. EJournal Ilmu Hubungan Internasional, 10(2), 588–589.
Ramdhan, M. (2021). Metode Penelitian (A. A. Effendy, Ed.). Media Cipta Nusantara.
Rijal Fadli, M. (2021). Memahami desain metode penelitian kualitatif. 21(1), 33–54. https://doi.org/10.21831/hum.v21i1
Rizki, A. M. (2024). Contemporary Sunni-Shia Dynamics: Conflict or Competition? Journal of Social Humanities Studies, 1(1), 9–10. https://mabadiiqtishada.org/index.php/SocioHumania
Rumley, G. (2023, September 25). Israel Normalization Negotiations and the U.S.-Saudi Defense Relationship. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
Rynhold, J., & Yaari, M. (2021). The quiet revolution in Saudi-Israeli relations. Mediterranean Politics, 26(2), 7–9. https://doi.org/10.1080/13629395.2019.1699267
Septiani, G. A., Andreana, C., Rachmadani, I., Hidayatullah, A. D., & Sholeh, B. (2023). The Geopolitical Implications of Post-Diplomatic Normalization in the Middle East on Saudi-Iran Relations. Intermestic: Journal of International Studies, 8(1), 300. https://doi.org/10.24198/intermestic.v8n1.14
Shaumi Putri, M., Windiani, R., & Paramasatya, S. (2021). Liberalisasi Ekonomi Arab Saudi dalam Saudi Vision 2030. Journal of International Relations Diponegoro, 7(3), 123–124. http://ejournal-s1.undip.ac.id/index.php/jihiWebsite:http://www.fisip.undip.ac.id
Subagyo, A. (2015). Analisis Proses Pengambilan Keputusan Dalam Penyusunan UU Nomor 34 Tahun 2004 Tentang TNI: “Implementasi Model Analisis Graham T. Allison.”
We Make Scholars. (2024a). 65+ Iran Scholarships, Fellowships and grants for Saudi-Arabian students to study abroad. We Make Scholars. https://www.wemakescholars.com/scholarships-for-saudi-arabian-students-to-study-in-iran
We Make Scholars. (2024b). 67+ Saudi Arabia Scholarship, Fellowships and grants for Iranian Students to study abroad. We Make Scholars. https://www.wemakescholars.com/scholarships-for-iranian-students-to-study-in-saudi-arabia
Wen, S., & Chen, Y. (2022). China’s Middle East Economic Diplomacy in the New Era. Chinese Journal of International Review, 04(02), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1142/s263053132250007x
Yazdanshenas, Z. (2023, December 27). Iran amid conflicting geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East. Middle East Institute.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Raihan Nustra Harsono, Septifa Leiliano Ceria
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright Global Local Interactions: Journal of International Relations
This work is licensed under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
