Causal Layered Analysis of Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

institute for humanities and cultural studies

10.22034/ssq.2025.497074.4238
Abstract
Conflict and tension have played significant roles in the relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia in recent decades. Despite numerous attempts to alleviate tensions, these efforts have not successfully led to the establishment of stable and cooperative relations between the two countries. This article aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the causes of tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia using Causal Layered Analysis. The research findings suggest that multiple factors at various levels contribute to the continuation of tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia. At the litany level, the positions and actions of leaders indicate the level of tension and its fluctuations in different periods. In the second layer, systemic factors such as disparities in political and economic systems, regional geopolitical rivalries, and variations in policies and interactions with the international system need to be considered. In the third layer, conflicts in identity and discourse between Iran and Saudi Arabia play a role in escalating tensions. These conflicts arise from differences in worldview attitudes among leaders, as well as religious and ethnic divisions. In the deeper layer, there are general metaphors such as Ajam, Rafezi, primitive Arab, as well as political metaphors like the Safavid Empire, American Islam, and the Wahhabi state. These metaphors reflect varying degrees of Iranophobia or Arabophobia, ultimately perpetuating a state of mistrust in relationships.

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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 16 June 2026

  • Receive Date 31 December 2024
  • Accept Date 24 December 2025