CSS Current Affairs | Obstacles of Iran And Saudi Arabia in Building Peace
The following question of CSS Current Affairs is solved by Khirman Batool under the supervision of Howfiv’s Pakistan Affairs and Current Affairs Coaches. She learnt how to attempt 20 marks question and essay writing from Sir Syed Kazim Ali, Pakistan’s best CSS and PMS English essay and precis teacher with the highest success rate of his students. This solved past paper question is attempted on the pattern taught by Sir to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory and optional subjects for years, and uploaded to help aspirants understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.
Outline
1-Introduction
2-A bird’s eye view of Iran-Saudi Arabia relations
3-Key obstacles in Iran Saudi Arabia to build lasting peace in the region
- ✓Persisting sectarian conflicts among both countries
- ✓Increasing arms race among both countries
- ✓Giving a Western touch to Islamic culture
- ✓Gaining hegemony in Muslim world
- ✓Changing stance towards Israel
4-Way forwards for Building Lasting Peace in Iran and Saudia
- ✓To establish joint economic ties among the countries
- ✓To establish a moderate foreign policy among the countries
5-Critical analysis
6-Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
Iran and Saudi Arabia have been facing problems in establishing peace in the region as both indulge in conflicts and conspiracy against each other. They have been the main disruptor of peace in the region through several events, like the Iranian revolution, the attack on the Embassy of Saudi Arabia and the cessation of all political relations among them. The reasons for breaching the peace are ethnic differences in the population of both countries, arms races among both, and strategy towards the West and its culture. All the obstacles lead towards proxy wars in the region. However, the obstacles can be overcome through establishing joint economic programs among the countries.
A bird’s eye view of Iran-Saudi Arabia relations
Iran and Saudi Arabia relations have been at stake for a long. And the reason might be Arabs and Non-Arab countries, where Arabic is the language of Saudi Arabia, and Persian is the National language of Iran. Moreover, both countries have diverging religious beliefs – Shia and Sunni ethnicity that kindled through the Iranian Revolution in 1979, and two blocks in the region were made. Then, the Qatif conflict occurred in which several people protesting against the ban on Holiday on Ashura were arrested and killed. Then, a series of conflicts, including wars among the proxies of both countries, occurred that exacerbated the relationship between both countries.
Key obstacles in Iran Saudi Arabia to build lasting peace in the region
There are key obstacles among both countries that hinder establishing peace in the region.
- Persisting sectarian conflict among both countries
Both countries have a basic conflict that is a universal ‘Shia-Sunni conflict’. Both countries mainly support their ethnicities in Middle Eastern countries. For instance, sectarian escalation in Iraq, Lebanon, and Afghanistan and the support of both countries to their ethnic people have been challenging the peace in the region. Moreover, the conflict is not going to end as both ethnicities are present in large amounts in the region. Thus, the persisting conflicts among ethnicities are major obstacles to lasting peace in the region.
- Increasing arms race among both countries
Both countries have security concerns, and both are involved in armament races in the region. This is not a current issue; both countries have been gaining arms from their alliances for a long for security. However, “If the stance of Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister states Iran gets an operational nuclear weapon, all bets are off.” The statement from Saudi Arabia’s side was a signal to the nuclear states, especially the USA, that they cannot stop the nuclearization of weapons in the region. The increasing threat of an arms race in the region has intensified the situation of the region’s peace and is a major obstacle to gaining lasting peace.
- Giving a Western touch to Islamic culture
The major conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia is based upon the approach towards the modernization of cultures and partnership with the West. After the Iranian revolution, Iran’s internal policy is strictly Islam-based, and Saudi is moving towards the establishment of NEOM city. Saudi’s approach towards Western culture has destroyed the relationship between both countries as it would create another void between the two nations. Moreover, the bold steps towards modernization might create havoc in the Islamic block as Iranian cases towards strict dress codes of women and men are intensifying the situation.
- Gaining hegemony in the Muslim world
Both countries are moving towards gaining hegemony in the Muslim country blocks. As both are defending different ethnic people, the race to gain hegemony in the Muslim block is intensifying with time. Iran’s influence has driven tension in the region by intensifying the tension through several events in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and the Gulf. Iranian leaders, like former President Ibrahim Raisi, have also taken steps to increase Iran’s regional influence. The increasing influence of Iran has had an adverse effect on the region as Saudis took steps against this, and there is an uncertain distortion of peace in the region.
- Changing stance towards Israel
Saudi Arabia’s changing stance towards Israel has distorted the establishment of relations between both countries. Moreover, their proxies are worsening the situation in the region as KSA’s one step towards identification of Israel has targeted more attacks on Israel by Iranian proxies and vice versa. Additionally, Saudi’s fear of bearing an attack by Iran is intensifying. Due to the situation, Saudi is pledging the USA to take strict action against Iran, so it takes a stance for Israel. If the situation continues, peace in the region might encounter another war, which might be a direct war instead of a proxy war.
Ways forward for Building Lasting Peace in Iran and Saudia
The continuous interruption of peace in the region can be turned into lasting peace through the following measures.
- To establish joint economic ties
Both countries must move towards the establishment of economic ties with each other so both would be interdependent and consider the establishment of peace in the region. Moreover, it would establish an air of trust among both by engaging themselves in economic integration projects. By engaging in bilateral relations in terms of economic ties, like Europe, both countries can overcome the threatening peace circumstances.
- To establish a moderate foreign policy among the countries
Also, by establishing moderate foreign policy towards each other, both countries can pave their way towards reproaching and building peace in the region. The relations between the two countries have made regional peace in the Netherlands, and the efforts of the mediating parties have gone haywire. Hence, the need of the hour is for both parties to develop a foreign policy that would show moderation towards each other. And this would bring an air of lasting peace to the region.
Critical analysis
A bird’s eye view of the interrupting peace of the region is based on Iran-Saudi Arabia’s diverging foreign policies towards each other. Both have conflicts on the basis of religion, Islamic culture, and different ethnicities. Moreover, the armament enrichment and accepting Israel as a separate state have been adversely affecting the peace in the region. However, by engaging both countries in interdependent agreements, the crisis can be resolved.
Conclusion
All in all, Iran and KSA are two countries having ethnic conflicts, which are involved in gaining hegemony in the Muslim world. The differences among them are intensifying with the passing of time as multiple factors are involved in it, like nuclear arms race and proxy wars in the region. However, the establishment of lasting peace in the region is still a dilemma for both countries. Adversely, western culture amalgamation in Islamic culture is stressing the situation. Fortunately, the current distorting peace of the region due to conflicts among Iran and Saudi can be resolved by involving them in integrated economic projects, like Europe had adopted to end its thirty-year war.
CSS Solved Past Papers’ Essays
Looking for the last ten years of CSS and PMS Solved Essays and want to know how Sir Kazim’s students write and score the highest marks in the essays’ papers? Then, click on the CSS Solved Essays to start reading them.
CSS Solved Essays
CSS Solved Islamiyat Past Papers
Want to read the last ten years’ Islamiyat Solved Past Papers to learn how to attempt them and to score high? Let’s click on the link below to read them all freely. All past papers have been solved by Pakistan’s top CSS Islamiyat coach having the highest score of their students.
CSS Solved Islamiyat
CSS Solved General Science & Ability Past Papers
Want to read the last ten years’ General Science & Ability Solved Past Papers to learn how to attempt them and to score high? Let’s click on the link below to read them all freely. All past papers have been solved by Pakistan’s top CSS GSA coach having the highest score of their students.
CSS Solved General Science & Ability
