Iran and Saudi Arabia: Accommodation in the Post-Cold War Middle East.

The proposed paper will examine regional conflict and conflict resolution in the post-Cold War Middle East. Specifically, the focus will be on Iranian policy towards a regional US ally, Saudi Arabia. During the 1990s Iran tried twice to reach an accommodation with its long time rival. The first attempt in 1991 failed, but the second, in 1997, met with considerable success. The two states now have stable diplomatic relations, they cooperate in OPEC and they have consciously tried to play down issues that have proven divisive in the past, such as Saudi Arabia’s relationship with the United States and Iran’s involvement in the Abu Musa dispute. As a rogue state, or a member of the axis of evil, Iran’s policy in this vital region is important in its own right. However, it is also representative of a dynamic that exists in other parts of the Middle East and the developing world. States like Iran, which can be referred to as regional challengers, are involved in three sided conflicts. Not only must they deal with their local rival, they must face the political, economic and military power of US hegemony. Other examples in the region include Syria and the Palestinians in their conflict with Israel. Outside the region China (vis-à-vis Taiwan) and North Korea (vis-à-vis South Korea) can also be included. Despite the pressure that has been placed on regional challengers, these conflicts have generally persisted. This suggests a complex interaction between the global balance of power and factors at the domestic and regional levels. This interaction has important consequences for regional conflict and for the United States as it tries to control the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and to fight the war on terror. This paper will explore these factors and their impact on conflict resolution through a structured, focussed comparison between Iran’s first attempt to accommodate Saudi Arabia under President Rafsanjani and the present policy of President Khatami. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]