REVIEW article
Front. Polit. Sci.
Sec. International Studies
Volume 7 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpos.2025.1634560
This article is part of the Research TopicGeopolitical Transition and Competition Among Major Global Power Centers: Existential Security Challenges and Regional ConflictsView all 5 articles
From Arab Spring to Regional Reset: Saudi-Iranian Rivalry and Strategic Contestation in the Gulf (2011–2023)
Provisionally accepted
- Prince Al Hussein Bin Abdullah II School of International Studies, Department of Political Science, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
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This study explores the enduring rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran from 2011 to 2023, analyzing its impact on Gulf regional security. Positioned within a descriptive-analytical, interpretive framework, the research applies process tracing to examine key geopolitical events, including the Arab Spring, the Yemen war, the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, and the 2023 China-mediated normalization. These events are viewed as part of a continuous geopolitical process shaped by power structures, domestic politics, and identity-driven strategies. The study integrates neorealism, offensive realism, and constructivism to provide a multi-dimensional explanation of the rivalry. While neorealism and offensive realism explain material interests and strategic behavior, constructivism highlights the role of identity, ideology, and sectarian narratives. A hybrid neorealist framework is proposed to incorporate non-state actors and symbolic tools of influence, reconciled methodologically through layered process tracing with explicit rules for weighing competing theoretical predictions. This theoretical approach helps explain both external behavior and internal motivations. The rivalry operates at state, sub-state, and symbolic levels, reinforced through proxy conflicts and religious mobilization. Although the 2023 diplomatic breakthrough suggests progress, the structural and ideological foundations of the rivalry remain unresolved. This research addresses a critical gap by combining theories and linking them to recent regional events. Policy recommendations include a formal dialogue platform between Gulf states and Iran, confidence-building measures, and a regional security charter. By combining theory, regional analysis, and policy insight, the study contributes to ongoing debates on Gulf security and offers practical ideas for future stability.
Keywords: Saudi-Iranian Rivalry, Gulf security, strategic identity, sectarianism, Neorealism, Hybrid Realism
Received: 24 May 2025; Accepted: 04 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Albarasneh. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Ayman Saleh Albarasneh, Prince Al Hussein Bin Abdullah II School of International Studies, Department of Political Science, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
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