The position of proxy wars in the security strategy of Saudi Arabia in the Middle East region

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Mohammad Hares Moqim ¹

Vahid Sinaee ²

Sayed Ahmad Fateminejad ³

Fatima Mahroogh ²

¹ Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

² Ferdowsi University of Mashhad/Faculty of Law and Political Sciences

³ Associate Professor of International Relations, Department of Political Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

https://doi.org/10.22067/irlip.2025.90715.1587

Abstract

Security Strategy is a set of speeches, approaches, techniques, attitudes, orientations and actions of a country in connection with other regional and extra-regional actors. As an important part of foreign policy, security strategy is formed under the influence of several factors, including ideological competitions, geopolitics, the presence of regional and extra-regional actors and proxy actors. Focusing on Saudi Arabia as one of the main players in the Middle East region, this research seeks to understand the place of proxy wars in Saudi Arabia's security strategy in the Middle East region. It seems that Saudi Arabia is trying to maintain the balance of power and gain regional superiority against Iran by resorting to proxy wars. In order to test this hypothesis, the theoretical framework of aggressive realism and explanatory method was used, and research data was collected from library and documentary sources. The findings of the research show that proxy wars have played a central role in Riyadh's security strategy, and this country has tried to change the balance of power and regional supremacy in its favor with the support of proxy activists such as Ahrar al-Sham, Jabhat al-Nusra and Jaish al-Fatah. Iraq, Syria and Yemen are examples of the application of this approach, in which Riyadh directly and indirectly resorted to proxy wars.

Keywords

Saudi Arabia

proxy war

security strategy

Middle East

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