Political Effectiveness of Saudi Foreign Aid in the Saudi Arabia-Iran Regional Competition (2010-2020)
Abstract
This study aims to answer the question of whether Saudi Arabia used its foreign aid to Arab countries as an effective tool in its regional competition with Iran between 2010-2020. We examined the effectiveness of Saudi foreign aid in three levels: the establishment of the regional security mechanism which was led by the Riyadh administration against Tehran, the regional crises that Saudi Arabia had with Iran in the region, and the regional organizations in which Saudi Arabia has been influential. At these three levels, this paper tries to uncover whether aid recipient Arab countries sided with Saudi Arabia against Iran in regional competitions and if there was a consistency in their attitudes. In the analysis process, “grounded theory” method, which offers flexible research design and possibility for testing, was used. We find that most of the aid-receiving Arab countries took side with Saudi Arabia against Iran even if even they did not perceive any threat from Iran. We also find that Arab countries under Iran’s influence pursued a balanced policy between Saudi Arabia and Iran although they received aid from Saudi Arabia.
Keywords
Foreign Aid, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Arab Countries, Regional Rivalry
Citation
Abdüssamet Pulat, İsmail Akdoğan and Mustafa Şeyhmus Küpeli, "Political Effectiveness of Saudi Foreign Aid in the Saudi Arabia-Iran Regional Competition (2010-2020)", International Relations, Volume 18, Issue 69, 2021, pp. 103-119, DOI: 10.33458/uidergisi.912054
Affiliations
- Abdüssamet PULAT, Research Assistant, Sakarya University, Middle East Institute
- İsmail AKDOĞAN, Dr., Sakarya University, Faculty of Communication
- Mustafa Şeyhmus KÜPELİ, Research Assistant, Sakarya University, Middle East Institute