East-West Strategy and the Middle East–Persian Gulf

The majority view among Iran watchers and experts on the Middle East is that Iran is a rising power that poses an increasing threat to regional and even global security. This article takes issue with this view arguing that the rise of Iran and the threat it poses has been vastly exaggerated. There is no reason to panic - Iran will not be as dominant as some experts believe, and its ability to threaten the Persian Gulf let alone the Middle East is not as great as feared. Even an Iran armed with nuclear weapons can be contained and balanced. Bombing Iran would therefore be a major mistake.

Download Full-text

Iran-Saudi Relations: From Rivalry to Nowhere

Global Social Sciences Review ◽

10.31703/gssr.2018(iii-iv).04 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol III (IV) ◽

pp. 49-67

Author(s):

Fozia ◽

Lubna Abid Ali

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Middle East ◽

Persian Gulf ◽

Regional Policy ◽

Policy Formulation ◽

Islamic Revolution ◽

Major Focus ◽

Entire Region ◽

Key Issues ◽

The Persian Gulf

Iran and Saudi Arabia are the two main powers of the Middle East. Since Islamic revolution (1979) the competition for power, security and regional dominance has resulted in proxy wars in the region, especially, Bahrain, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Saudi and Iranian rivalry revolves around some key issues such as; their contradictory ideologies (Sunni vs Shiite) PanArab issues like Palestine issue, Saudi inclination towards West, their contradictory policies about energy and desire to become dominant power of entire region. Iran's wants regional hegemony, rolling back US influence in the Middle East, empowerment of Shiite in the Middle East through sectarianism. Sectarianism has always been a major focus in the Persian Gulf and beyond for the Iranian regional policy formulation. Peace and stability in Middle East would not be possible till Riyadh and Tehran end rivalry.

Download Full-text

Iran Nuclear Deal: Its Political and Economic Implications for the Region as a Whole and for Pakistan

Vestnik Volgogradskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta Serija 4 Istorija Regionovedenie Mezhdunarodnye otnoshenija ◽

10.15688/jvolsu4.2019.5.19 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 259-267

Author(s):

Muhammad Shah ◽

Rab Nawaz ◽

Muhammad Mahsud

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Middle East ◽

Persian Gulf ◽

The United States ◽

The Other ◽

Regional Power ◽

Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia ◽

Economic Implications ◽

Economic Opportunities ◽

Other Hand

Introduction. No doubt that the Iran-USA nuclear deal of 2015 got fame in the international politics. Some countries were in favor of such a deal and some were against this development. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has more concerns over the Iran nuclear deal, it feels that after the deal Iran will become a regional power and will increase its military and political power which will disturb the regional security and stability. As the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) itself provokes the creation of such conditions, thus their influence in the Middle East will be affected. Analysis. The article analyzes the concerns of Israel, implications for Turkey, the question why deal is beneficial for Pakistan, economic concerns of Saudi Arabia, implications for Persian Gulf and Middle East, economic implications for Turkey, economic opportunities for Pakistan. After the nuclear deal, Iran becomes a regional power and increases its political and economic influence in the region, especially in the Persian Gulf. The world says that Iran cannot get nuclear weapons after the deal because it has no such a capacity. However, according to some findings from the documents of the deal Iran is not blocked to become a nuclear power and the deal legitimizes the nuclear program. So, on the other hand after the Iran nuclear deal the regional political and economic environment is totally favorable to Iran. On the other hand, scholars believe that the United States of America (USA) operate in terms of diplomatic competition. From the economic standpoint, the deal will be favorable for Iran. Thus, some countries have objections related to the deal, while others express a positive attitude towards it. Results. Pakistan will be able to generate economic opportunities from Iran, especially with the help of Iran-Pakistan-India Gas pipeline project (IPI project). Consequences of the deal will be beneficial for the regional economic development of the Middle East and South Asia respectively.

Download Full-text