The Shifting Saudi-Iran Ties from Rivalry to Rapprochement: China's Growing Power Projection in the Middle East

Abstract

One of the most complex debates in contemporary world is the rapidly rising
China and its growing influence in world politics. The Middle East has been the
pivot of the global political theater for the last several decades due its immense
energy resources and the vital geostrategic position in world politics. The Saudi-
Iran rivalry, their struggle for regional hegemony and the growing Chinese soft
power projection in the Middle East, particularly its role in the rapprochement
between Riyadh and Tehran is presently a key subject. The two regional powers
emphasize upon their respective ideological emblems to constitute the foundation
for legitimacy of their doctrines in the Islamic world. The rapprochement deal
brokered by China between Riyadh and Tehran, is a major breakthrough in the
contemporary world politics. This study aims to examine the Chinese growing
influence in the Middle East region and its mediating role in the rapprochement
between Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This study endeavors to
explore the transition phase of Saudi-Iran's alteration of bilateral relations from
rivalry to fruitful rapprochement across the volatile Middle Eastern geopolitical
context and the vital role of Chinese soft power projection in the region and the
reconciliatory process. The paper concludes that the Saudi-Iran rapprochement
suggests a prospective development in the conflicts of the Middle East, offering
far-reaching regional and global implications for future political alignment.

Keywords: Smart Power, Regional Security Complex Theory, Proxy Wars,
Geostrategic, Geo-economics, Balance of Power