Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Isfahan University
2 Graduated with a PhD in International Relations from Gilan University and a visiting researcher at the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies
Abstract
Relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have fluctuated between conflict, competition and limited cooperation during the past few decades. Often, the competition and conflict of these two actors are analyzed based on ideological or geopolitical approaches and their cooperation based on regionalism theories and based on the structure of the international system, but the investigation of the understanding and perception of their political and military elites is mostly ignored. This research seeks to investigate the effect of these signals on the conflict, the prolongation of negotiations, the speed of recent agreements and the future of the relations between the two actors by examining the statements and behavior of the political-military elites of the two countries. The main question that is raised is: What effect did the signals sent by the political-military elites of Iran and Saudi Arabia have on their relations? In response to the above question, within the framework of signaling theory and with the method of qualitative content analysis, this hypothesis is proposed that: the signals sent by the political-military elites and the behavior of Iran and Saudi Arabia towards each other have caused the elites of the two countries to perceive threats based on have each other and this has led to prolonged negotiations and as a result intensifying competition and conflict between them and at other times these signals are based on cooperation and non-zero sum game that brings two actors closer to each other and agreements between They are formed. According to the experience of such ups and downs in sending signals, it is expected that the relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia will fluctuate in the medium term with the transition from conflict to competition and limited cooperation
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