Saudi Arabia and Iran

Edward Wastnidge is Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Studies at the Open UniversitySimon Mabon is Chair of International Politics at Lancaster University

• Introduction – Simon Mabon and Edward Wastnidge1 The view from Riyadh: a neoclassical realist perspective of Saudi foreign policy toward Iran in the post-2011 Middle East – May Darwich2 Narratives of power politics in the Iran-Saudi relationship: the view from Tehran – Banafsheh Keynoush and Edward Wastnidge3 Competing Islams: religious legitimacy and the foreign policies of Saudi Arabia and Iran – Lucia Ardovini4 The Iran-Saudi Arabia rivalry: rekindling of Shi’a Loyalty and Sunni’ fears in Bahrain – Rashed al-Rasheed5 Iraq and the evolution of Saudi-Iranian relations – Stephen Royle and Simon Mabon6 The irreplaceable piece: Lebanon’s strategic value in the Saudi-Iranian foreign policy chessboard – Hussein Kalout7 Capability and culpability: Iranian and Saudi rivalry in the Syria conflict – Christopher Phillips8 Delegation or intervention: Yemen as a theatre for the rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia – Maria-Louise Clausen9 Conclusion – Edward Wastnidge and Simon MabonIndex

'This is an impressive volume in its scope and its ability to capture nuance in a relationship that is often subject to generalisations and simplified analysis. Wastnidge and Mabon have assembled a solid group of scholars who have managed to make an important and original contribution to a topic that has lately been studied a great deal. I strongly recommend this book for anyone interested in a serious understanding of the complex relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran.'Mehran Kamrava, Professor of Government, Georgetown University Qatar‘Not only does this volume provide a fascinating account of how the Saudi-Iranian rivalry has played out across time and space and impacted regional and domestic politics across the Middle East. It also shows how a stronger dialogue between IR theory and Middle East studies can offer insights into Middle East politics that go beyond the well-known politics v. piety debate.’Morten Valbjørn, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Aarhus University