The inability to apply the theory of realism in explaining the crisis between Iran and Saudi Arabia

پژوهش نامه ایرانی سیاست بین الملل

Volume 13, Issue 1 - Serial Number 25, January 2025, Pages 382-359   

Document Type: Original Article

DOI: 10.22067/irlip.2024.83482.1412

Author

abbas naderi^*

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Abstract

The relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia underwent fundamental changes after the Islamic Revolution, and since then,they have been regulated by successive tensions and crises, and have rarely been normal. The geostrategic, geopolitical, geoeconomic and geocultural positions of the two countries have made their relations very important for the region and the world, therefore,many researchers have focused on the relations between the two countries. But the thing to consider is that the vast majority of these researchers, both domestic and foreign,have analyzed the ups and downs relations between the two countries from the perspective of realism and considered the crisis and reoccurrence of crisis in their relations as a function of the principles and assumptions of realism and have analyzed. While the national interests and foreign policy and consequently the conflicts and crises of the two countries are the product of deep social and identity structures,and incidentally,the assumptions of realism are also understood based on the conflicting social and identity elements of the two countries. This research, with a side view of social construction and constructivism,is a conflict reading on the application of realism in their relationships. Therefore, the main question of this research is,is the paradigm of realism capable of explaining the successive crises in the relations between the two countries? The research data has seriously challenged the application of realism theory and questioned its jurisdiction. Analytical and descriptive method is used in this research and the method of data collection is documentary and library.

Keywords

Crisis"Criticism of Realism" iran"; Realism"; Saudi Arabia"

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