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Why do most scholars analyze the geopolitical rivalries in Middle East as centered on Iran vs Saudi, even tho it is clearly much more complicated with very flexible sides.
Almost any article, book I see on this topic summarize the Cold War-like rivalries in Middle East and surrounding regions as centered on Iran vs Saudi Arabia. Even if some accept and talk about how other countries like Israel, Turkey, UAE, Qatar, Egypt have their own goals the writings still describe it as Iran's and Saudi's rivalry. And the other countries actions (even if they have their own agendas) is ussualy shown as a part of this rivalry.
I never quite got this as it always seemed to me that esspecialy Israel seems much more prominent in the rivalry against Iran. While Iran and the Axis of Resistance are the only countrie(s) and armed groups that are pretty clear on their stance against most other countries, Israel,Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, UAE has always been flexible when it comes to what side they are on. Turkey-Qatar tend to have aligning intrests against Israel heavily supporting Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood while also being in military alliances and agreements with the West just like Israel. They seem on the other side with Iran supporting opposition in Syria, Al-Islah in Yemen (Muslim Brotherhood's extension in Yemen), Iran has historicly supported the PKK and they supported diffrent sides in the Karabakh-Nagorno Wars yet both Turkey and Qatar are in heavy economic and energy partnership with Iran. The situation is similar with Saudis as they supported each other (or seemed to support) in various proxy wars yet also clashed through Muslim Brotherhood in the same ones and in the Qatar Crisis.
It's not even only Turkey-Qatar. UAE and Saudi Arabia also has pretty complex relationship even tho it has mostly been rivalry at this point. But UAE doesn't get along with Iran at all and better with Israel tho they have had some problems too. Saudi-Israeli relationship is just as weird as they are seemingly on the same sides in many wars. It just seems so strange to say this whole thing is a Iran-Saudi rivalry.
#current_events
Almost any article, book I see on this topic summarize the Cold War-like rivalries in Middle East and surrounding regions as centered on Iran vs Saudi Arabia. Even if some accept and talk about how other countries like Israel, Turkey, UAE, Qatar, Egypt have their own goals the writings still describe it as Iran's and Saudi's rivalry. And the other countries actions (even if they have their own agendas) is ussualy shown as a part of this rivalry.
I never quite got this as it always seemed to me that esspecialy Israel seems much more prominent in the rivalry against Iran. While Iran and the Axis of Resistance are the only countrie(s) and armed groups that are pretty clear on their stance against most other countries, Israel,Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, UAE has always been flexible when it comes to what side they are on. Turkey-Qatar tend to have aligning intrests against Israel heavily supporting Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood while also being in military alliances and agreements with the West just like Israel. They seem on the other side with Iran supporting opposition in Syria, Al-Islah in Yemen (Muslim Brotherhood's extension in Yemen), Iran has historicly supported the PKK and they supported diffrent sides in the Karabakh-Nagorno Wars yet both Turkey and Qatar are in heavy economic and energy partnership with Iran. The situation is similar with Saudis as they supported each other (or seemed to support) in various proxy wars yet also clashed through Muslim Brotherhood in the same ones and in the Qatar Crisis.
It's not even only Turkey-Qatar. UAE and Saudi Arabia also has pretty complex relationship even tho it has mostly been rivalry at this point. But UAE doesn't get along with Iran at all and better with Israel tho they have had some problems too. Saudi-Israeli relationship is just as weird as they are seemingly on the same sides in many wars. It just seems so strange to say this whole thing is a Iran-Saudi rivalry.
#current_events
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