Foreign Policy in Iran and Saudi Arabia: Economics and Diplomacy in the Middle East

by Robert Mason

Overview

Saudi Arabia, with its US alliance and abundance of oil dollars, has a very different economic story to that of Iran, which despite enormous natural gas reserves, has been hit hard by economic, trade, scientific and military sanctions since its 1979 revolution. Robert Mason looks at the effect that economic considerations (such as oil, gas, sanctions, trade and investment) have had on foreign policy decision-making processes and diplomatic activities. By examining the foreign policies of Saudi Arabia and Iran towards each other, and towards the wider Middle East and beyond, Mason seeks to highlight how oil policy, including oil production, pricing and security of supply and demand, is the paramount economic factor which drives the diplomacy and rivalry of these two pivotal regional powers. His book thus offers vital analysis for researchers of international relations in the Middle East and the processes involved in the formation of foreign policy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780857738981
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	12/22/2014
Series:	Library of Modern Middle East Studies
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Robert Mason is Research Assistant in the College of Social Sciences and International Studies at the University of Exeter, UK.

Table of Contents

Chapter One: Conceptualising Economic Factors in Middle East Foreign Policies
Chapter Two: The Shaping Factors of Conflict and Containment in Saudi and Iranian Foreign Policy
Chapter Three: Saudi Foreign Policy: Oil, Wahabism and 'Riyal Politik'
Chapter Four: Iranian Foreign Policy: the Politics of Civilisation, Security and Economy
Chapter Five: The Triangulation of U.S. Foreign Policy towards the Middle East
Chapter Six: Economic Factors in Middle East Foreign Policies