The rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia on the basis of the common threat of Iran, is not a new phenomenon. However, the current state of affairs should be examined closely, as it brings into question the future of the Palestinian issue.

For Saudi Arabia and Israel, hostility towards Iran is not the only common denominator. In both countries, religion enjoys a predominance in state mechanisms. Pragmatism in foreign relations is another structural similarity.

Short History

Acting in conformity with Western policies up until the Islamic Revolution of 1979, İran never constituted a threat for Saudi Arabia and Israel. In the aftermath of the Revolution, joint policies against this common enemy did not materialise against the background of ontological security issues. Not only there was the absence of diplomatic recognition between the two, but also they represented the two ends of a spectrum as leaders of different religious establishments.