The impact of American foreign policy during the Trump era on Saudi-Iranian relations

Abstract

Saudi-Iranian relations went through many stages that ranged between rapprochement and tension, in addition to many major turning points that the two countries witnessed, which stemmed from the influence of the external factor, perhaps the most prominent of which was the American influence, as the crisis that witnessed the American-Iranian relations during the term of former US President Donald Trump It represents a different chapter in the development of this crisis, and the intense hostility relates to the American internal political scene and the almost personal rivalry between Presidents Trump and his predecessor Barack Obama and their domestic and foreign policies. Perhaps one of the most important manifestations of the great disagreement between their policies is the nuclear agreement, which formed an element of strong convergence with active Gulf parties such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These parties considered the agreement with the Trump administration to be hostile. Iran serves as a crossing bridge to strengthen its relations on the one hand, and to form a strong front in the presence of (Israel) on the other hand, with the aim of exerting more pressure on the political system in Iran, putting it in a fragile state, and not necessarily changing the entire system.