Did Saudi Arabia miss a huge opportunity at an early engagement with Iraq?
To realize shared priorities and fulfill the Persian Gulf’s potential as a global cornerstone for energy and trade, hardline Gulf states must acquiesce to waning U.S. hegemony and pursue reconciliation with Iran.
Over the past forty years, Iran has written the book on Lebanization and using non-state actors in interstate warfare
Iran’s role in the “end-state diplomatic model” of conflict resolution and crisis management in the Middle East
As sanctions ease on Iran, it hopes to expand its petrochemical exports, putting it in direct competition with Saudi Arabia over emerging markets.
Souring relations between Tehran and Riyadh, never cozy, threaten American efforts at diplomacy.
The best hope for the Middle East is for sensible and responsible people in all concerned lands, especially around the Gulf, to grasp the catastrophes that will engulf much of the region if current trends continue.
A diplomacy deficit between Iran and Saudi Arabia has exacerbated volatility across the Middle East. Ending the Iranian-Saudi cold war, and building a collective security framework for the Middle East is the only option likely to succeed.
