Rethinking İran-Saudi Arabia relations in the framework of the Arab Spring

When a problem arises between states in the field of international relations, there are various methods to be applied to solve the problem. These methods are sometimes applied as peaceful methods, and sometimes as oppressive. Especially since many states in the Middle East are governed by monarchies, we see that opressive methods are used more frequently. The main objective of this study was to discuss the effects of the events, which started with the 1979 Iranian Islamic Revolution between Iran and Saudi Arabia in the Gulf and the Arab Spring events that occurred in 2011 and the effects of the developments in the Middle East region. The study of the competitive approaches between Iran and Saudi Arabia will guide the Tahran- Riyadh administration to make sense of today‟s conflicts. The main point in the beginning of the competetion between Iran and Saudi Arabia is the announcement that Britain will withdraw from the Gulf in 1971. In the process that began with the Islamic Revolution of Iran, the Gulf wars and the emergence of the Iran-Iraq war marked a turning point in relations between Iran and Sudi Arabia. The rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia has generally arisen on different issues. As we mentioned at the beginning of these issues, it is that bothcountries want to fill the power vacuum created after Britain announced is withdrawal from the Gulf. Other issues; the main ones were secratain differences, the phenomenon of economic empowerment and the quest to become a leader in the Islamic World. The events of the recent Arab Spring have thoroughly ignited the fuse of the competition and the struggle between them has begun to take on a different dimension. As a result of the emergence of the events of the Arab Spring, the previously de facto struggle began to be carried out in the form of Proxy wars, vi this time with the participation of different states in the events. The events of the Arab Spring constitute the most concete examples of the rivalry between Tehran and Riyadh