The Saudi-Iranian Neo Cold War

It's been four months since I described Yemen as a powder keg ready to explode. At the time the entire world was riveted to the television, watching the unfolding events of the "Velvet Revolution" in Iran. The Yemeni keg has since exploded. It is currently on the verge of causing regional conflict.

For more than a week now, Saudi Arabia has been carrying out military operations on its remote southern border to punish Houthi rebels from neighboring Yemen who crossed over and attacked one of its patrols. Both Yemen and Saudi Arabia have accused Iran of arming the rebels.

Accusations and counter accusations have been flying between the two rival regional powers. On Tuesday, Iran's foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki warned that, "those who pour oil on the fire must know that they will not be spared from the smoke that billows."

This is not the first time Saudis and Iranians have faced off in the region. The rivalry between the two countries has been out playing its course for years, extending from the Persian Gulf (where the name alone is a point of contention, Saudis refer to it as the Arabian Gulf) into Iraq, Lebanon, and the Palestinian territories. Like the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, Saudi Arabia and Iran have been supporting their factions in all these countries, either militarily, financially, or both.

Both Tehran and Riyadh used Lebanon as their own battlefront to settle scores to the point of almost tipping the country into another civil war less than two years ago. Iran has been accused of pumping millions of dollars into Gaza and supplying Hamas with arms, while Saudi Arabia has been supporting the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah. Many Iraqi Shiites have accused Saudi Arabia of aiding the Sunni insurgency in the country.

Nowadays, even Hajj (Islamic pilgrimage) is not spared from being a subject of contention between the two rivals. The Saudi government has recently issued a warning against pilgrims staging demonstrations during this year's Hajj, which runs from November 25-29. Although Iran was not specifically mentioned in the Saudi statement, Tehran replied that it would take "appropriate measures" if Iranian pilgrims were interfered with in any way. The Islamic Republic of Iran has long complained about the mistreatment and harassment of its pilgrims to Mecca by Saudi authorities during the Hajj season.

Like the original Cold War, both countries have launched sophisticated misinformation campaigns against one another. A propaganda war has raged between Iranian and Saudi government controlled media. During the Iranian election, Saudi media and its proxies viciously attacked the Iranian regime, highlighting poll irregularities, and the brutality of the Iranian Basij security forces. The Iranian media has constantly questioned, and on many instances mocked, the House of Saud's role as the custodian of the Holy Islamic sites in the Kingdom.

Last week without warning, two satellite companies, the Egyptian-owned Nilesat and the Saudi-managed Arabsat pulled the plug on Iran's Arabic-speaking news channel, al-Alam, or the World. Nilesat's executive director, Ahmed Anis, announced that the broadcasting was cut due to contract violations; however, media sources throughout the Middle East suggest that al-Alam's support for the Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen angered Saudi officials, who in turn used their influence to take it of the air.

So far, both countries have shied away from direct military contact. Iran and Saudi Arabia, like the US and the USSR of old, have been competing in a series of peripheral surrogate conflicts. Could their relations be strained enough to lead to direct confrontation? Everything seems to be possible these days in the Middle East.

 

Follow Jamal Dajani on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jamaldajani

Comments

[Horst]

Sunnis and Shia have been going toe to toe since 632 AD.....

[justice2008]

Very simplistic way of looking at things in the Middle East. The current rivalry is well illustrated in Mr. Dajani's article.

[NYkid]

OK... than let's fight for democracy in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait and Jordan. Or is it too inconvenient for US interests to talk about democracy over there?

[shotei]

Did you intentinally not list Iran in your list of countries "in need of democracy"?

[alexa07]

"Everything seems to be possible these days in the Middle East.'

Always find something to think about in your wry commentaries, Jamal.

[Oleg1]

In what possible sense this can be described as wry?

[alexa07]

Use your imagination to fill in the blanks , or possibly a Webster's Collegiate.

[raptor]

Tonight on Australian TV: "Compass - The Pilgrimage Business: This film shows the transformation of the holiest place in the Islamic world into a real estate business for religious tourism."

[raptor]

"Even Nasser called it the Persian Gulf". -- The Shah

[MajorKong]

I'm going to claim it as the "Gulf of Kong" just to torque both of them off.

[monelis]

Both sides are being played by outsiders. I also think that it is time for Saudi's to buy some more new arms, because the old version that never learned how to operate has expired.

Too much money in the hand of fools brings ignorance. I hate when someone insults my intelligence.

[shotei]

How dare world leaders insult your intelligence!?

[Khirad]

In Iran this cold war gets downright comical and is the subject of many jokes, with Iranian officials changing Muslim holidays shared in common, just to rebuff the notion that the House of Saud should have any say over the Holy sites, etc. Let's not forget, apart from more sobering geopolitical realities, that Persian chauvinism plays a big part in this. For a country always complaining about Arrogant Powers, it has an arrogant streak itself in its own backyard. Similarly, the Arab (and European as well) nations have at times tried to exploit the Arabs of Khuzestan. I'm not coming down on either side. On many levels, it can get ridiculous. That is not to downplay the very serious consequences that could one day get out of hand, though.

[Mollabaji]

Khirad,
would you explain the statement that Iran has changed Islamic holiday dates on its calendar? Which "holidays"?

[MajorKong]

Is there contention over King Abdullah's title of "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques*"?

*Mecca and Medinah

[justice2008]

Saudi Kings have self-appointed themselves "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques," I think since the 1st King Saud. No Islamic council, Shura, etc. bestowed this on them. And certainly not the Shia Marji'ya.

[EstherHaman]

Saudi Arabia is a dysfunctional regime built on the Oil money. Their involvement in the 911 speaks loudly for itself. Their support for Bin Ladin and his family has clearly shown their arrogance. Their hate for the Persians, Shiites, Jews Christians etc etc is obvious.

Saudis family, a small group of people all related to each other due to their inter family marriages is abusing an enormous amount of wealth and on top of that an arrogance that is not matched by anyone through out the history is keeping them away from their subjects, religion and tradition.

Saudis newly found money and wealth will not shield them from the other hungry peasants who legally and traditionally are part of the Islamic world. Saudis may have fancy jets and cars or tanks, but that will not help them in this struggle for survival and the kingdom will eventually crumble.

[newsjunkie5]

That's exactly what I said. When was the last time Saudi Arabia held election? Iran had 6 Presidents since the revolution, as for the House of Saud...well you know the answer.

[Oleg1]

If Iranian mascarade is allowed to be called elections, then Saudi Arabia can call themselves enlightened constitutional monarchy.

[leonardox1]

Saudi Arabia has been meddling in Yemeni affairs for years. Before it used to be the communists now it's the Houthis (Shiites)

[Horst]

Of course the bin Ladens hail from Yemen...

[shotei]

And Iranians have been meddling everywhere from Lebanon and Palestinian territories to Iraq.

[justice2008]

Thanks Mr. Dajani. I liked how you highlighted the feud over the Hajj. Also, the fact it is not just all about Sunnis vs. Shias. Iran supports Hamas, a Sunni organization.

[joz22]

"During the Iranian election, Saudi media and its proxies viciously attacked the Iranian regime, highlighting poll irregularities, and the brutality of the Iranian Basij security forces."---LOL- When did Saudi Arabia ever hold national elections?

[newsjunkie5]

The fact of the matter Saudi Arabia is doing the US bidding in the Middle East. Yes, Iran had problems with its election, but when was the last time Saudi Arabia held elections in the Kingdom? With all its problems Iran has better hope moving towards a pluralistic society than Saudi Arabia.

[cohen238765]

How much of this related to the Shia triangle the Iranians have been trying to establish in the Middle East?

[jad114]

The shia triangle and the shia belt, crescent, etc. are a manifestation by the Bush administration to drive a wedge between shias and Sunnis.

[newsjunkie5]

I think that the terminology "Shia Crescent" came from King Abdullah of Jordan.

[Horst]

Umm............ this has been going on since 632 AD.