Why Saudi Arabia has changed its approach to Iraq?

2021/04/20 | interview, Politics, Top News

Strategic Council Online—Interview: An expert of Middle East affairs and assistant professor of international relations in the Human Sciences Research Center says relations between Baghdad and Riyadh have faced many highs and lows during the past several decades.

Referring to the recent visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Mostafa al-Kazemi to Saudi Arabia, Aliakbar Asadi told the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations that Saudi Arabia supported Iraq in its war imposed on Iran in the 1980s; however, immediately after the war, relations between Iraq and Saudi Arabia deteriorated after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and the two countries severed diplomatic relations.

“In fact, the Saddam regime was exposed as a threat to all the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf. Since 2003, the Saudis have been cooperating with the Americans especially in their invasion of Iraq; however, they were not that much consent with the next developments after the invasion and believed that Iran is having more influence in Iraq than Saudi Arabia in the new structure of power formed after the US attack. And the interests of Arab countries, Saudis believe, have not been secured. Therefore, Saudis have adopted a negative approach to the developments and incidents occurred in Iraq after Saddam was deposed of power. Therefore, Saudis were not prepared to cooperate with Iraq.”

According to Asadi, sometimes Saudi Arabia was reported to be playing a negative role in Iraq by supporting terrorist groups.

Asadi referred to the developments of the past four or five years, saying “it seems that the approaches of Saudis to Iraq has been transformed in the past years as Saudis have reached the conclusion that the present structure of power would continue in the future and if Saudis fail to use the opportunity in Iraq, Iran would play a stronger role and stabilize itself in that country”.

Asadi said on such a basis, Saudis have changed their approach to Iraq and reconstructed their diplomatic relations with Baghdad and are trying to pursue a new approach.

He added that the recent visit by Iraq’s prime minister to Saudi Arabia was conducted upon the invitation of Riyadh.

Asked about the motivation of Saudis to expand relations with Iraq, he said Saudi Arabia is seeking to extend its likes and ties with Iraq so as to help reduce Iraq’s dependence on Iraq and then attract Baghdad as a new ally for itself. This is a long term objective pursued by Riyadh which has to go through a winding and prolonged road to realize.

Asked about the approach of Baghdad to relations with Saudi Arabia, he said Iraqis have been seeking right from the beginning to maintain a normal status in the Arab world and expand their relations with the Arab countries.

He said such tendencies have increased during the tenure of Prime Minsiter Kazemi as he has tried to promote bilateral relations with Jordan and Egypt as well as Saudi Arabia.

“The Iraqi prime minister may be trying to create a balance in Iraq’s foreign policy and promote the regional position of his country. In the meantime, as relations with Saudi Arabia could result in Saudi’s investment in Iraq, improvement of relations with Riyadh could bring economic opportunities for Iraq.

Of course, the Iraqi government cannot ignore the hidden objectives and influence of Saudi Arabia in Iraq.”

Asadi added that there are various political groups in Iraq some of whom are holding negative distrustful views towards Saudi Arabia. In fact, Iraqis have not yet reached consensus as to how they can count on Saudi cooperation and supports.

“Therefore relations between Saudi Arabia and Iraq could create a sort of balance at the regional level in Iraq’s relations with other players however this cannot cause a strategic and fundamental change. In other words, one cannot envisage strategic cooperation between Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Iraqis are trying to establish normal relations with Saudi Arabia while maintaining their friendly and balanced relations with Iran. Iraqis are more interested in preventing the probable destructive measures of Saudi Arabia in Iraq and also benefit from Saudi’s financial resources and investment opportunities”.

Ali Akbar Asadi | Egypt | Iran | Iraqi-Saudi relations | ISIS | Jordan | Kuwait | Mustafa al-Kazemi | terrorist groups

https://scfr.ir/en/?p=132425

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

LATEST CONTENT

The Components of Iran’s Deterrence Power

The Components of Iran’s Deterrence Power

2026/05/31

SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when regional security equations have reached a sensitive stage under the influence of Iran’s strategic confrontation with the United States and the Zionist regime, the question of the nature of Tehran’s defensive power has gained greater significance than ever before. While Washington and Tel Aviv rely on their technological superiority, the Islamic Republic of Iran has presented a model of deterrence that extends beyond the material calculations of the world’s classical militaries. This power, rooted in the connection between “the field” and “the people,” has not only altered the balance of power in recent conflicts but has also disrupted adversaries’ calculations when confronting Iran’s strategic depth.

The Persian Gulf; A Cold Battlefield Between Beijing and Washington

The Persian Gulf; A Cold Battlefield Between Beijing and Washington

2026/05/31

SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition in recent years between the United States and China encompasses various geographical regions—including the Indo-Pacific, West Asia, the Arctic and Antarctic, and Africa—as well as multiple domains such as economics and technology. Within this context, a strategic competition has also emerged in the Persian Gulf region across economic, technological, and military spheres.

Europe’s Enduring Dependence on Persian Gulf Energy

Europe’s Enduring Dependence on Persian Gulf Energy

2026/05/28

SCFR Online – Opinion: The dominant discourse in the field of European energy security over the past two decades has revolved around diversification of supply sources and the gradual reduction of dependence on fossil fuels. This narrative, which gained particular momentum after the Ukraine gas crisis in 2006 and its intensification in 2014 and 2022, was based on the assumption that Europe could free itself from the geopolitical vulnerabilities arising from dependence on specific suppliers through investment in renewable energy, imports of liquefied natural gas from diversified sources, and the establishment of new infrastructure. However, a closer analysis of energy trade data and the structure of the global oil and gas supply chain presents a different picture. Europe has not only failed to meaningfully reduce its dependence on the Persian Gulf, but in some sectors — particularly in liquefied natural gas imports — this dependence has deepened. This reality, which is often overlooked in public discourse, raises fundamental questions about the sustainability of Europe’s energy security strategies and their impact on regional power equations.

The Challenge of Hezbollah’s Low-Cost “FPV” Drones for the Zionist Regime

The Challenge of Hezbollah’s Low-Cost “FPV” Drones for the Zionist Regime

2026/05/27

SCFR Online – Opinion: In modern warfare, it has always been assumed that the more expensive, and advanced the weapon—particularly from well-known companies—the more certain the victory will be. However, developments on the northern front of occupied Palestine in recent months have challenged this long-held belief. Here, the Zionist regime’s military, despite possessing the most advanced defense systems such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow, as well as fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets, Merkava tanks, and other modern equipment found in few countries worldwide, has effectively been rendered helpless against Hezbollah Lebanon’s few-hundred-dollar drones. Benjamin Netanyahu’s bitter admission regarding the inability to counter this threat, and his order to allocate an unlimited budget to find a solution, underscores the reality that the era of pure superiority through expensive technologies has come to an end.

Loading

Últimas publicaciones

The Components of Iran’s Deterrence Power

The Components of Iran’s Deterrence Power

2026/31/05

SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when regional security equations have reached a sensitive stage under the influence of Iran’s strategic confrontation with the United States and the Zionist regime, the question of the nature of Tehran’s defensive power has gained greater significance than ever before. While Washington and Tel Aviv rely on their technological superiority, the Islamic Republic of Iran has presented a model of deterrence that extends beyond the material calculations of the world’s classical militaries. This power, rooted in the connection between “the field” and “the people,” has not only altered the balance of power in recent conflicts but has also disrupted adversaries’ calculations when confronting Iran’s strategic depth.

The Persian Gulf; A Cold Battlefield Between Beijing and Washington

The Persian Gulf; A Cold Battlefield Between Beijing and Washington

2026/31/05

SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition in recent years between the United States and China encompasses various geographical regions—including the Indo-Pacific, West Asia, the Arctic and Antarctic, and Africa—as well as multiple domains such as economics and technology. Within this context, a strategic competition has also emerged in the Persian Gulf region across economic, technological, and military spheres.

Europe’s Enduring Dependence on Persian Gulf Energy

Europe’s Enduring Dependence on Persian Gulf Energy

2026/28/05

SCFR Online – Opinion: The dominant discourse in the field of European energy security over the past two decades has revolved around diversification of supply sources and the gradual reduction of dependence on fossil fuels. This narrative, which gained particular momentum after the Ukraine gas crisis in 2006 and its intensification in 2014 and 2022, was based on the assumption that Europe could free itself from the geopolitical vulnerabilities arising from dependence on specific suppliers through investment in renewable energy, imports of liquefied natural gas from diversified sources, and the establishment of new infrastructure. However, a closer analysis of energy trade data and the structure of the global oil and gas supply chain presents a different picture. Europe has not only failed to meaningfully reduce its dependence on the Persian Gulf, but in some sectors — particularly in liquefied natural gas imports — this dependence has deepened. This reality, which is often overlooked in public discourse, raises fundamental questions about the sustainability of Europe’s energy security strategies and their impact on regional power equations.

The Challenge of Hezbollah’s Low-Cost “FPV” Drones for the Zionist Regime

The Challenge of Hezbollah’s Low-Cost “FPV” Drones for the Zionist Regime

2026/27/05

SCFR Online – Opinion: In modern warfare, it has always been assumed that the more expensive, and advanced the weapon—particularly from well-known companies—the more certain the victory will be. However, developments on the northern front of occupied Palestine in recent months have challenged this long-held belief. Here, the Zionist regime’s military, despite possessing the most advanced defense systems such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow, as well as fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets, Merkava tanks, and other modern equipment found in few countries worldwide, has effectively been rendered helpless against Hezbollah Lebanon’s few-hundred-dollar drones. Benjamin Netanyahu’s bitter admission regarding the inability to counter this threat, and his order to allocate an unlimited budget to find a solution, underscores the reality that the era of pure superiority through expensive technologies has come to an end.

Loading

DERNIER CONTENU

The Components of Iran’s Deterrence Power

The Components of Iran’s Deterrence Power

2026/31/05

SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when regional security equations have reached a sensitive stage under the influence of Iran’s strategic confrontation with the United States and the Zionist regime, the question of the nature of Tehran’s defensive power has gained greater significance than ever before. While Washington and Tel Aviv rely on their technological superiority, the Islamic Republic of Iran has presented a model of deterrence that extends beyond the material calculations of the world’s classical militaries. This power, rooted in the connection between “the field” and “the people,” has not only altered the balance of power in recent conflicts but has also disrupted adversaries’ calculations when confronting Iran’s strategic depth.

The Persian Gulf; A Cold Battlefield Between Beijing and Washington

The Persian Gulf; A Cold Battlefield Between Beijing and Washington

2026/31/05

SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition in recent years between the United States and China encompasses various geographical regions—including the Indo-Pacific, West Asia, the Arctic and Antarctic, and Africa—as well as multiple domains such as economics and technology. Within this context, a strategic competition has also emerged in the Persian Gulf region across economic, technological, and military spheres.

Europe’s Enduring Dependence on Persian Gulf Energy

Europe’s Enduring Dependence on Persian Gulf Energy

2026/28/05

SCFR Online – Opinion: The dominant discourse in the field of European energy security over the past two decades has revolved around diversification of supply sources and the gradual reduction of dependence on fossil fuels. This narrative, which gained particular momentum after the Ukraine gas crisis in 2006 and its intensification in 2014 and 2022, was based on the assumption that Europe could free itself from the geopolitical vulnerabilities arising from dependence on specific suppliers through investment in renewable energy, imports of liquefied natural gas from diversified sources, and the establishment of new infrastructure. However, a closer analysis of energy trade data and the structure of the global oil and gas supply chain presents a different picture. Europe has not only failed to meaningfully reduce its dependence on the Persian Gulf, but in some sectors — particularly in liquefied natural gas imports — this dependence has deepened. This reality, which is often overlooked in public discourse, raises fundamental questions about the sustainability of Europe’s energy security strategies and their impact on regional power equations.

The Challenge of Hezbollah’s Low-Cost “FPV” Drones for the Zionist Regime

The Challenge of Hezbollah’s Low-Cost “FPV” Drones for the Zionist Regime

2026/27/05

SCFR Online – Opinion: In modern warfare, it has always been assumed that the more expensive, and advanced the weapon—particularly from well-known companies—the more certain the victory will be. However, developments on the northern front of occupied Palestine in recent months have challenged this long-held belief. Here, the Zionist regime’s military, despite possessing the most advanced defense systems such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow, as well as fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets, Merkava tanks, and other modern equipment found in few countries worldwide, has effectively been rendered helpless against Hezbollah Lebanon’s few-hundred-dollar drones. Benjamin Netanyahu’s bitter admission regarding the inability to counter this threat, and his order to allocate an unlimited budget to find a solution, underscores the reality that the era of pure superiority through expensive technologies has come to an end.

Loading

DERNIER CONTENU

The Components of Iran’s Deterrence Power

The Components of Iran’s Deterrence Power

2026/31/05

SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when regional security equations have reached a sensitive stage under the influence of Iran’s strategic confrontation with the United States and the Zionist regime, the question of the nature of Tehran’s defensive power has gained greater significance than ever before. While Washington and Tel Aviv rely on their technological superiority, the Islamic Republic of Iran has presented a model of deterrence that extends beyond the material calculations of the world’s classical militaries. This power, rooted in the connection between “the field” and “the people,” has not only altered the balance of power in recent conflicts but has also disrupted adversaries’ calculations when confronting Iran’s strategic depth.

The Persian Gulf; A Cold Battlefield Between Beijing and Washington

The Persian Gulf; A Cold Battlefield Between Beijing and Washington

2026/31/05

SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition in recent years between the United States and China encompasses various geographical regions—including the Indo-Pacific, West Asia, the Arctic and Antarctic, and Africa—as well as multiple domains such as economics and technology. Within this context, a strategic competition has also emerged in the Persian Gulf region across economic, technological, and military spheres.

Europe’s Enduring Dependence on Persian Gulf Energy

Europe’s Enduring Dependence on Persian Gulf Energy

2026/28/05

SCFR Online – Opinion: The dominant discourse in the field of European energy security over the past two decades has revolved around diversification of supply sources and the gradual reduction of dependence on fossil fuels. This narrative, which gained particular momentum after the Ukraine gas crisis in 2006 and its intensification in 2014 and 2022, was based on the assumption that Europe could free itself from the geopolitical vulnerabilities arising from dependence on specific suppliers through investment in renewable energy, imports of liquefied natural gas from diversified sources, and the establishment of new infrastructure. However, a closer analysis of energy trade data and the structure of the global oil and gas supply chain presents a different picture. Europe has not only failed to meaningfully reduce its dependence on the Persian Gulf, but in some sectors — particularly in liquefied natural gas imports — this dependence has deepened. This reality, which is often overlooked in public discourse, raises fundamental questions about the sustainability of Europe’s energy security strategies and their impact on regional power equations.

The Challenge of Hezbollah’s Low-Cost “FPV” Drones for the Zionist Regime

The Challenge of Hezbollah’s Low-Cost “FPV” Drones for the Zionist Regime

2026/27/05

SCFR Online – Opinion: In modern warfare, it has always been assumed that the more expensive, and advanced the weapon—particularly from well-known companies—the more certain the victory will be. However, developments on the northern front of occupied Palestine in recent months have challenged this long-held belief. Here, the Zionist regime’s military, despite possessing the most advanced defense systems such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow, as well as fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets, Merkava tanks, and other modern equipment found in few countries worldwide, has effectively been rendered helpless against Hezbollah Lebanon’s few-hundred-dollar drones. Benjamin Netanyahu’s bitter admission regarding the inability to counter this threat, and his order to allocate an unlimited budget to find a solution, underscores the reality that the era of pure superiority through expensive technologies has come to an end.

Loading

DERNIER CONTENU

The Components of Iran’s Deterrence Power

The Components of Iran’s Deterrence Power

2026/31/05

SCFR Online – Opinion: At a time when regional security equations have reached a sensitive stage under the influence of Iran’s strategic confrontation with the United States and the Zionist regime, the question of the nature of Tehran’s defensive power has gained greater significance than ever before. While Washington and Tel Aviv rely on their technological superiority, the Islamic Republic of Iran has presented a model of deterrence that extends beyond the material calculations of the world’s classical militaries. This power, rooted in the connection between “the field” and “the people,” has not only altered the balance of power in recent conflicts but has also disrupted adversaries’ calculations when confronting Iran’s strategic depth.

The Persian Gulf; A Cold Battlefield Between Beijing and Washington

The Persian Gulf; A Cold Battlefield Between Beijing and Washington

2026/31/05

SCFR Online – Opinion: The competition in recent years between the United States and China encompasses various geographical regions—including the Indo-Pacific, West Asia, the Arctic and Antarctic, and Africa—as well as multiple domains such as economics and technology. Within this context, a strategic competition has also emerged in the Persian Gulf region across economic, technological, and military spheres.

Europe’s Enduring Dependence on Persian Gulf Energy

Europe’s Enduring Dependence on Persian Gulf Energy

2026/28/05

SCFR Online – Opinion: The dominant discourse in the field of European energy security over the past two decades has revolved around diversification of supply sources and the gradual reduction of dependence on fossil fuels. This narrative, which gained particular momentum after the Ukraine gas crisis in 2006 and its intensification in 2014 and 2022, was based on the assumption that Europe could free itself from the geopolitical vulnerabilities arising from dependence on specific suppliers through investment in renewable energy, imports of liquefied natural gas from diversified sources, and the establishment of new infrastructure. However, a closer analysis of energy trade data and the structure of the global oil and gas supply chain presents a different picture. Europe has not only failed to meaningfully reduce its dependence on the Persian Gulf, but in some sectors — particularly in liquefied natural gas imports — this dependence has deepened. This reality, which is often overlooked in public discourse, raises fundamental questions about the sustainability of Europe’s energy security strategies and their impact on regional power equations.

The Challenge of Hezbollah’s Low-Cost “FPV” Drones for the Zionist Regime

The Challenge of Hezbollah’s Low-Cost “FPV” Drones for the Zionist Regime

2026/27/05

SCFR Online – Opinion: In modern warfare, it has always been assumed that the more expensive, and advanced the weapon—particularly from well-known companies—the more certain the victory will be. However, developments on the northern front of occupied Palestine in recent months have challenged this long-held belief. Here, the Zionist regime’s military, despite possessing the most advanced defense systems such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow, as well as fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets, Merkava tanks, and other modern equipment found in few countries worldwide, has effectively been rendered helpless against Hezbollah Lebanon’s few-hundred-dollar drones. Benjamin Netanyahu’s bitter admission regarding the inability to counter this threat, and his order to allocate an unlimited budget to find a solution, underscores the reality that the era of pure superiority through expensive technologies has come to an end.

Loading