Analysis of Iran's geostrategic threats in the strategic alliance of Saudi Arabia and China

پژوهش ‎های جغرافیای سیاسی

Article 7, Volume 6, Issue 3 - Serial Number 23, July 2021, Pages 118-137   

Document Type: مقالات علمی -پژوهشی

DOI: 10.22067/pg.2021.70048.1040

Authors

Marzieh sadat Alvand^{* 1}; Mahdieh Heiydari²

¹Assistant Professor, Political Science Department, Humanities Faculty, University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran

²PhD in International Relations, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

From a geopolitical and geostrategic point of view, Iran and Saudi Arabia are competing with each other in increasing regions. This study seeks to analyze the geostrategic role of Iran in Saudi Arabia's extensive effort to strategically approach the largest emerging power in the international system. The authors have tried to answer the question of what are the most important geostrategic threats of the regions of the Islamic Republic of Iran in establishing a strategic alliance between Saudi Arabia and the relations of the People's Republic of China by using explanatory methods and using library and internet information gathering tools? It seems that the increase in Iran's influence in the region after the conclusion of the UN Security Council and the change in the balance of power in regional crisis in its favor, has led to the formation of geostrategic threats in Saudi Arabia and its closer proximity to China. The findings of the study using the theory of defensive neo-realism show that Saudi Arabia with a pragmatic approach is trying to establish a strategic alliance with China to curb Iran's influence and reduce its activism in the region. However, the People's Republic of China, with its strategic patience in its foreign policy and the strategic importance of Iran and Saudi Arabia in its developing economy, seeks to maintain a bilateral balance in its relations with both actors.

Keywords

Geostrategic threats; Threat balance; Iran; China; Saudi Arabia

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