| Summary/Abstract |
I
n this thought-provoking article, the complex reasons for the faceoff
between Iran and Saudi Arabia have been analyzed. The pan-Arab
dispute over the naming of the Persian Gulf water body known
historically and internationally as the Persian Gulf to the Arabian
Gulf highlights the hostility between Shia Iran and the predominantly
Sunni Salafi Saudi Arabia. The only other Salafi country in the Middle
East, though tiny, blessed with an abundance of hydrocarbons, is Qatar
and which mediates between the two archrivals. The rivalry between
the two giant oil-producing neighbouring nations is highly exacerbated
and volatile. Both support opposing terror groups in rival countries
and in the ongoing power struggle in the Middle East between ShiaSunni sectarian conflicts.
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