Confrontation between Iran and Saudi foreign policy in the crisis in Yemen with constructivist

Teimoori, Rohollah; Abdollahzadeh, Hasan; Agah, Mohammad

doi:IABAJ-1703-1024 (R3)

Confrontation between Iran and Saudi foreign policy in the crisis in Yemen with constructivist

Document Type : Scientific extension

Authors

rohollah teimoori ¹

hasan abdollahzadeh ²

mohammad agah ³

¹ PNU faculty, Department of Political Science, Iran

² Islamic Azad University, Department of Political Science, Shiraz, Iran, Ph.D.

³ Islamic Azad University, Department of Political Science, Shiraz, Iran, Assistant Professor

https://doi.org/IABAJ-1703-1024 (R3)

Abstract

It can be said that the Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1978 and the perspective it adopted of Islam, Shiism and international relations, as well as its characterization as the leader in the fight against the hegemonic system were perceived a threat by the Saudi officials as they considered the Revolution a challenge to the interests of the Sunni states of the region. Thus, they had it on agenda to eliminate this risk at any way. The Persian Gulf Cooperation Council and assistance with Iraq in its war against Iran were in accordance with this policy. A point of evident conflict between the policies of the two states is Yemen where the different views of Iran and Saudi Arabia to Houthi Shiite movement have led to different reactions. Saudi Arabia has characterized itself as a support to the Yemeni government against the Houthis whereas Iran has committed itself to support the Houthis. Built on the theoretical framework of constructivism, this descriptive and analytic study investigates the role of materialistic factors, presuppositions and norms involved in the confrontation between policies of Iran and Saudi Arabia in Yemen.

Keywords

Iran

Saudi Arabia

Yemen

the Houthis

constructivism