The Foreign Policy of the Islamic Republic: The View From the GCC States

Iran is a major driver of the Gulf Arabs’ regional and international policymaking. Fears of regional Iranian hegemony are longstanding. The ongoing conflicts in Syria and Yemen have only served to highlight and intensify this. Some states, namely Saudi Arabia, have reacted by counteracting Iranian influence through a multi-tiered rivalry, with geopolitical, economic, military, ideological, and sectarian aspects. Conversely, the Gulf States are only a comparatively small part of the world viewed from Tehran. Iran views itself as a natural hegemon over its neighbours, with a strong sense that its interests should be treated deferentially by others in the region. This paper will examine how the Islamic Republic of Iran’s relations with its Gulf neighbours is perceived in Tehran and in Gulf Arab capitals.