Cold War in the Islamic World: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Struggle for Supremacy [Hardcover]

The foundational schism between Sunni Arabia and Shia Persia manifests itself in geopolitics, as Kingdom and Islamic Republic compete.For four decades Saudi Arabia and Iran have vied for influence in the Muslim world. At the heart of this ongoing Cold War between Riyadh and Tehran lie the Sunni-Shia divide, and the two countries' intertwined histories. Saudis see this as a conflict between Sunni and Shia; Iran's ruling clerics view it as one between their own Islamic Republic and an illegitimate monarchy.This foundational schism has played out in a geopolitical competition for dominance in the region: Iran has expanded its influence in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon, while Saudi Arabia's hyperactive crown prince, Muhammad bin Salman, has intervened in Yemen, isolated Qatar and destabilized Lebanon.Dilip Hiro examines the toxic rivalry between the two countries, tracing its roots and asking whether this Islamic Cold War is likely to end any time soon.PrefacePrologue1. Introduction2. Black Gold and America Shape Iran and Saudi Arabia3. Faisal's Enduring Imprint; the Shah's Vaulting Ambition4. Iran's Islamic Revolution Alarms Saudi Kingdom5. Iran's Second Revolution; Millennial Challenge to Al Saud6. Iran-Iraq War Steels Khomeini's Regime7. Saudi-Iranians Race to Influence the Muslim World8. Saudi Arabia at Center of Twentieth Century's Last Major War9. Saudi-Iranian D?tente10. The Gulf Rivals' Eastward March11. Iran's Nuclear Saga; and Iraq Averts an Inter-sectarian War12. The Arab Spring - Reversed by Saudi-backed Counterrevolution13. Multi-front Cold War between Riyadh and Tehran14. Trump Fuels Gulf Rivals' Cold War15. Summary and ConclusionsNotesSelect BibliographyDilip Hiro is the author of more than thirty books, includingAfter Empire: The Birth of a Multipolar World; Inside Central Asia; andApocalyptic Realm: Jihadists in South Asia. The contemporary great game playing out bloodily between oil-fired theocracies in Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shia Iran is tls)