Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, January 23, 2016
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| Alirza Ardabili |
Alireza Ardabili states that the main factors driving tensions between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia are nationalism, political rivalry, and leadership ambitions rooted in the Shiite-Sunni divide. In a conversation with Voice of America, the Southern Azerbaijani writer and political commentator discussed the factors contributing to these problems, the potential impact of the lifting of sanctions imposed on Iran due to its nuclear program, and the stance of non-Persian organizations on Iran’s foreign policy.
“There is currently an atmosphere of joy and optimism in Iran due to the lifting of sanctions. However, in reality, Iran has merely returned to the situation it was in 10 years ago—except now, oil prices are lower. In Saudi Arabia, the approach is more of a wait-and-see stance. They are observing how Iran will react to this situation and what conclusions it will draw,” said the journalist, who currently lives in exile in Sweden.
In explaining the hostile relationship between the two countries, he highlighted three key factors: Iranian nationalism, the Shiite-Sunni divide, and political competition:
“This contradiction can be seen on three levels: First, from the perspective of Persian-Arab relations. There is no strong anti-Iran or anti-Persian sentiment in the Arab world or among Arab nations. In comparison, the anti-Arab sentiment in Iran is much stronger. Just as there is significant negative sentiment toward Turks in Iran, whereas in Turkish states, there is no such widespread negative view of Iran. Second, both countries have leadership ambitions as two major powers in the region. Third, Iran claims leadership over the Shiite world, while Saudi Arabia is the most powerful force in the Sunni world, considering that Turkey is a secular state.”
The writer states that the Islamic Republic of Iran has successfully used its “sources of power” in both foreign and domestic politics.
According to him, “For 37 years, opposition groups have been saying that the regime will collapse in six months or a year, and similar claims have been made. However, the Iranian regime manages to rally the nation behind it by using its sources of power. It achieves this through Iranian nationalism, Shiism, and the slogan that 'Iran is a great power.'”
Alireza Ardabili also spoke about the reactions of various political factions in Iran, including non-Persian groups, following the attack on the Saudi Arabian embassy in Iran.
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Əlirza Ərdəbilli: İran millətçilik və şiəçilikdən güc mənbəyi kimi istifadə edir