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Council of the European Union General Secretariat

READING REFERENCES 2020

Council Library

THE EU & THE PERSIAN GULF

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Introduction

The Persian Gulf has long been a hotspot of geopolitical interest. This year alone has seen

sustained media interest in events in the Persian Gulf, including protests, the Iran plane

crash and ongoing diplomatic conflicts.

To comprehend this vibrant geographical area and its politics, one must gain insight into

the region's history, the construction and interconnectedness of its different societies and

cultures, the role of religion and the political bodies that exist in the Gulf.

As such, the Council Library has compiled this reading list relating to the Persian Gulf. This

extensive list has been created both for people who are new to the complex geopolitics of

the Persian Gulf, and for those already familiar with the region and its geopolitics.

It consists of various books and e-books, articles, podcast episodes, videos and think tank

publications, varying from two-minutes' reading, listening or viewing time to more

immersive material that can be accessed via the Council Library's online catalogue,

Eureka.

Resources selected by the Council Libraries

Please note:

This bibliography is not exhaustive; it provides a selection of resources made by the Council Library. Most of the titles are hyperlinked to Eureka, the resource discovery service of the Council Library, where you can find additional materials on the subject. Access to some resources might be limited to registered Council Library users or to users in subscribing institutions.

The contents are the sole responsibility of their authors. Resources linked from this bibliography do not necessarily represent the positions, policies, or opinions of the Council of the European Union or the European Council.

Reuse of the covers is prohibited, they belong to the respective copyrightholders.

Additional resources may be added to this list by request - please contact the Council Library to suggest a title: library@consilium.europa.eu

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Table of Content

Regional geopolitics & history………………………..….4 EU & the Persian Gulf………………….….…………….....9 Bahrain………………………………………………………..11 Bahrain and the EU Domestic affairs Foreign affairs

Iran…………………………………………………………….15 Iran and the EU Domestic affairs Foreign Affairs

Iraq…………………………………………………………….29 Iraq and the EU Domestic affairs Foreign affairs

Kuwait………………………………………………………...42 Kuwait and the EU Domestic affairs Foreign affairs

Oman …………………………………………………………45 Oman and the EU Domestic affairs Foreign affairs

Qatar………………………………………………………….50 Qatar and the EU Domestic affairs Foreign affairs

Saudi Arabia………………………………………………..55 Saudi Arabia and the EU Domestic affairs Foreign affairs

United Arab Emirates…...………………………………..66 UAE and the EU Domestic affairs Foreign affairs

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REGIONAL GEOPOLITICS & HISTORY

External powers and the Gulf monarchies Jonathan Fulton ; Li-Chen Sim (Eds.)

London; New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group,

2019

Request via Eureka

"The Gulf monarchies have been generally perceived as

status quo actors reliant on the USA for their security, but in

response to regional events, particularly the Arab Spring of

2011, they are pursuing more activist foreign policies, which

has allowed other international powers to play a larger role in

regional affairs. This book analyses the changing dynamic in

this region. It contains empirical case studies that examine the

relations between the Gulf monarchies and extra-regional

powers, including the USA, Russia, China, India, Brazil,

Turkey, Japan, South Korea, France, and the United

Kingdom."

The MENA Region: a great power competition Karim Mezran ; Arturo Varvelli (Eds.)

Milan, Italy: Ledizioni LediPublishing ; Istituto per gli Studi

di Politica Internazionale ; Atlantic Council, 2019

Access Online

"This volume deals with competition among regional and

external players for the redistribution of power and

international status in the Middle East and North Africa,

focusing on Russia’s renewed role and the implications for US

interests. Over the last few years, a crisis of legitimacy has

beset the liberal international order. In the context of global

reassessment, the configuration of regional orders has come

into question, illustrated by the current collapse in the Middle

East. The idea of a ‘Russian resurgence’ in the Middle East

set against a perceived American withdrawal has captured the

attention of policymakers and scholars alike, warranting further examination. Chapter 5 analyses

the Iraqi and Russian relationship. Chapter 8 looks at Russia’s influence in the Gulf, particularly in

Iran."

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Ties that Bind: Family, Tribe, Nation, and the Rise of Arab Individualism Jon B. Alterman

Center for Strategic & International Studies, December 2019

Video of Alterman the report

Access Online

"This study concludes that it is a mistake to assume that loyalty plays the same central role in

Arabs’ lives that it did a generation ago. There are places and circumstances in which it does, but

loyalty is a variable and not a constant. The author finds that individualism is on the rise in the

region, affecting the way people relate to power and to each other. He argues that people are much

more likely to rely on tribe and family in circum­stances where security, government capacity, and

mobility is low. Urban elites in safe areas have a different set of attitudes than the poor and

vul­nerable. Finally, Alterman finds that young people are showing a much wider range of attitudes

toward loyalty and obligation than their elders, partly because of technology and partly be­cause of

economics. The report includes case studies on the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia"

The Gulf in world history: Arabia at the global

crossroads Allen J, Fromherz

Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2018

Request via Eureka

"The Gulf sits at an ancient crossroads of cultures and faiths,

and at the heart of modern trade stretching back to the origins

of civilization. As a site of both conflict and peaceful

encounter, it can be studied in the context of world history, as

a place of cultural and historical encounter. From medieval

astrology to museum architecture, from the trade of glass and

pearls to the role of Indians, Africans, Christian monks,

Mandaeans and merchants, this book spans historical periods

and disciplinary approaches. It is united by one overarching

theme: the Gulf as a cosmopolitan nexus and space of encounter. The chapters describe a Gulf

simultaneously perched on the edge of empires and at the centre of world events. Presenting new

evidence, new theoretical approaches, and new arguments, this volume aims to change

understandings of the Gulf in the world."

The Gulf Scramble for Africa: GCC states’ foreign policy laboratory Will Todman

Center for Strategic & International Studies, November 2018

Access Online

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"Arab Gulf states are intervening more assertively in sub-Saharan Africa to capitalize on economic

opportunities and protect their security interests. They view Africa as a relatively uncontested arena

in which they can experiment with foreign interventions as part of their strategy to prove their rising

status on the world stage. The author argues that the impact of Gulf states’ rivalries in Africa is

becoming increasingly damaging, as their zero-sum rivalry has provoked retaliations, which have

dangerously destabilized vulnerable parts of Africa, such as during the fallout to the GCC crisis."

The Gulf monarchies' armed forces at the crossroads David B. Roberts

Institut français des relations internationales, 2018

Access Online

"Traditionally, the armed forces of the Gulf monarchies played an incidental role when it comes to

securing the states. The ultimate fighting power of the monarchies was relatively unimportant;

rather, the monarchies’ security was derived from international relations that were sometimes

founded on, and often sustained and fed by, ongoing military sales. But, for some monarchies at

least, this is changing. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are now deploying their own forces in hitherto

unseen kinetic ways, as in Yemen, indicating that they genuinely seek their own fighting power. In

the midst of the Gulf crisis, Qatar has doubled down on defence procurement both to boost its

military and to increase its international entanglements."

The intra-GCC crises: mapping GCC fragmentation after 2011 Cinzia Bianco ; Gareth Stansfield

International Affairs, 2018, Vol. 94(3), pp.613-635

Access via Eureka

"Through an in-depth analysis of the events and of the subsequent reaction of the GCC

governments in terms of discourse and foreign policy, the authors distinguish three different

categories of conceptualisation of the the 2014 and 2017 intra-GCC crises. First, the governments

of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates perceived domestic protests as an

‘intermestic’ threat—triggered by the intersection of the international and domestic levels. Second,

the leaders of Oman and Kuwait conceptualized protests in their countries as manageable

domestic insecurity, rather than as fully-fledged externally orchestrated events—arguably because

they did not perceive a direct danger to their stability and legitimacy. Finally, it can be argued that

the government of Qatar did not see any real danger in the protests but instead viewed them as an

opportunity to expand Doha's regional influence, arguably at Riyadh's expense. Unpacking the

fundamental factors shaping such perceptions is the key to finding the appropriate framework for

analysing GCC security in the future."

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Shias in the Gulf Monarchies and their Relations with Iran Laurence Louër

Princeton University, April 2018

Access video online

"Dr. Laurence Louër, Associate Professor at Sciences Po, Center for International Research, Paris,

discusses the influence of Iran’s Shia population in the Middle East from the context of Saudi

Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait in comparative prospective. Presented as part of the 2017-2018

Mossavar-Rahmani Center Seminar Series."

Security in the Persian Gulf Region Fatemeh Shayan

London : Palgrave Macmillan UK: Imprint: Palgrave

Macmillan, 2017

Request via Eureka

"This book examines changes in the Persian Gulf security

complex following the United States (US) invasion of Iraq in

2003, focusing on threats to the collective identities of two

religious’ sects - Shia and Sunni. Although there is a growing

body of literature examining security in the Persian Gulf, little

focus has been given to the theoretical and methodological

aspects of the problem. In this volume, Shayan analyses the

causes behind the security changes which occurred in the

region since 2003 and demonstrates how regional security

dynamics are interlinked to perceived sectarian threats on the

Shia and Sunni religious identities."

Intra-Gulf competition in Africa’s Horn: lessening the impact Rashid Abdi

International Crisis Group, 2017

Access Online

"This report, based on high-level conversations in Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Ankara, as well

as Nairobi, Addis Ababa and Washington, seeks to clarify the various actors’ goals and ambitions,

and propose ways to mitigate the destabilising impact of unbridled competition in the Horn."

A dangerous Gulf in the Horn: how the inter-Arab crisis is fuelling regional

tensions Rashid Abdi

International Crisis Group, 2017

Access Online

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"The Gulf crisis and the scramble for military outposts in the Horn of Africa are exacerbating

regional tensions that risk triggering a conflict. In this Q&A, Crisis Group’s Horn of Africa Project

Director, Rashid Abdi, untangles the complex web of relations that tie the Horn and the Gulf."

Insecure Gulf: the end of certainty and the

transition to the post-oil era Kristian C. Ulrichsen

London: Hurst, 2011

Available at Council Library Main Collection (095835)

"Increasingly long-term, non-military challenges have remade

security concerns in the Persian Gulf. The protection of food,

water, and energy, the management and mitigation of

environmental degradation and climate change, demographic

pressures and the youth boom, the reformulation of structural

deficiencies, and the fallout from progressive state failure in

Yemen all require a broad, global, and multidimensional

approach to achieving security in the Gulf. While traditional

threats from Iraq and Iran, nuclear proliferation, and

transnational terrorism remain robust, new challenges could potentially destabilize the redistributive

mechanisms of state and society in the Arab oil monarchies. Insecure Gulf explores this new reality,

specifically, the relationship between traditional and recent security issues within the changing

political economy of the Gulf Corporation Council states".

The politics and security of the Gulf: Anglo-

American hegemony and the shaping of a region Jeffrey R. Macris

Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2010

Available at Council Library Main Collection (093115)

"Since the 19th century the Gulf region has been an area of

intense interest, having been influenced first by the British

and more recently by the Americans. This book charts the

changing security and political priorities of these two powers

and how they have shaped the region. Adopting a narrative

approach, the author provides background history on British

involvement from the 19th century and a detailed analysis of

the years after the Second World War, when oil supply

became more critical. He covers the growth of US influence

and the British withdrawal, and follows more recent changes

as the US built up its military presence following the invasion of Iraq."

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EU & the Persian Gulf

An overview of the 2019 European Parliament election and its potential

implications for the GCC Christian Koch ; Nadine Aly

Bussola Institute (Belgium), 2019

Access via Eureka

"In a Europe that will continue to be preoccupied with itself as new political arrangements emerge,

how are issues of importance to the Gulf region likely to feature on the post-election EU agenda

and how can the Gulf Cooperation Council states maintain relations with the many different factions

likely to emerge within the new Parliament? The prospects for this critical election and its

implications for Europe’s relations with the Gulf region are examined in this timely publication."

A troubled partnership: the US and Europe in the Middle East Luigi Scazzieri

Centre for European Reform, 2019

Access via Eureka

"President Donald Trump has re-orientated US policy in the Middle East. He has withdrawn from

the joint comprehensive plan of action, the nuclear agreement with Iran, and aligned the US

forcefully with its traditional allies in the region, Israel and Saudi Arabia. These actions have opened

a deep rift with Europe. This policy brief assesses the extent of policy disagreements between EU

and the US in the Middle East and their consequences."

EU foreign policy in MENA: the pitfalls of depoliticization

In:

Shifting Global Politics and the Middle East Ruth Hanau Santini

POMEPS, March 2019

Access Online

"In the last few years, Europe has struggled to simultaneously cope with internal and external

crises. Internally it is coping with the rise of anti-establishment parties, democratic backsliding and

Brexit. Externally, it has failed to formulate a comprehensive approach dealing with the post-Arab

uprisings’ turmoil, including increased migratory flows, terrorist threats and civil and proxy wars

from Syria to Yemen. This essay analyses three areas discussed in EU foreign policy towards the

MENA region: the democratisation of Tunisia, the political involution in Egypt, and the negotiations

over the Iranian nuclear program, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action."

European ‘Middle Powers’ and the Middle East in the age of Trump and Brexit

In:

Shifting Global Politics and the Middle East Kristian C. Ulrichsen

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POMEPS, March 2019

Access Online

"The two seismic shocks of world politics in 2016– Britain’s narrow vote to leave the European

Union and Donald Trump’s bitterly-contested election as 45th President of the United States– have

triggered contrasting and somewhat contradicting responses by European ‘middle powers’ toward

regional policies in the Middle East. Even as the future of Britain’s relationship with the European

Union has been plunged into uncertainty amid rounds of acrimonious negotiations over the precise

form ‘Brexit’ will take, British, French, and German leaders have worked more closely together on

issues such as the Iran nuclear agreement, the war in Yemen, and the response to the murder of

Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. This essay assesses the EU and European bilateral relations’

effect in the Middle East."

Regional geopolitical rivalries in the Middle East: implications for Europe Ellie Geranmayeh

Istituto Affari Internazionali, 2018

Access via Eureka "The Middle East faces a fragile and turbulent decade ahead. A forceful obstacle to sustainable

peace and development in the region has been the heated rivalry unfolding between Iran and those

countries opposed to it – led by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel, and strongly

supported by the US. European actors need to delicately navigate the region’s geopolitical tensions

and use the limited leverage they have to push against the current trend towards greater instability

and perhaps a wider inter-regional and global conflict."

Crisis and breakdown: how can the EU foster resilience in the Middle East and

North Africa?

Andrea Dessì

Istituto Affari Internazionali, 2017

Access Online

"States and societies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are experiencing profound

crises of trust, statehood and governance as traditional economic models and social contracts are

no longer capable of providing basic services and goods. Socio-economic challenges are

compounded by conflict, authoritarianism and the prevalence of deep-seated geopolitical rivalries

between major states in the region and beyond. This paper provides an overview of major

challenges and opportunities for state and societal resilience in the MENA region and examines

priorities and niche areas for action as the European Union seeks to operationalise the goals and

ambitions set out in the EU Global Strategy."

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EU Cultural Diplomacy in the MENA region: a qualitative mapping of initiatives

promoting regional cooperation Riccardo Trobbiani

Institute for European Studies, 2017

Access via Eureka "This paper assesses the willingness, capacity and acceptance sustaining EU broadly-defined

Cultural Diplomacy in the MENA region. The resulting qualitative mapping focuses on policies and

initiatives which foster regional cooperation, both around the Mediterranean and among southern

countries."

Trump, Europe and the Middle East peace process: a path out of the quicksand Luigi Scazzieri

Centre for European Reform, 2017

Access via Eureka

"The Iran nuclear deal is a diplomatic success of EU foreign policy. This analysis of the EU's tasks

as coordinator of the Joint Commission overseeing the agreement's implementation evaluates the

EU's performance and if the benefits it derives from lifted nuclear-related sanctions and the opened

Iranian market risk undermining its role as honest broker. The EU is accepted in the Joint

Commission as primus inter pares by Germany, Iran and the Security Council's five permanent

members. How the EU will manage to keep the US in the agreement determines the deal's future

and colours the EU's and its High Representative's legacy as a global diplomatic actor."

BAHRAIN

Bahrain and the EU Statement by the Spokesperson on executions in Bahrain

[Brussels]: EEAS, 2019

Access Online

"The European Union is unequivocally opposed to the use of capital punishment in all

circumstances and calls on the Kingdom of Bahrain to introduce a moratorium on executions as a

first step towards abolition."

EU foreign policy towards Bahrain in the aftermath of the uprising

In:

The Gulf States and the Arab Uprisings

Toby Matthiesen (author) ; Ana Echagüe (Ed.)

FRIDE ; Gulf Research Center, 2013

Access Online

"On 14 February 2011, inspired by the protests in Tunisia and Egypt, Bahraini activists descended

on the Pearl Roundabout, which remained under their control for nearly one month. In mid-March

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2011, after Saudi troops and policemen from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) entered Bahrain to

guard key installations and back the government, the Bahraini regime cracked down harshly on

protesters. The crackdown was an embarrassment for the European Union (EU) and the United

States. While the US (together with Saudi Arabia) acts as ultimate security guarantor of Bahrain

through its Fifth Fleet, the EU has close trade ties with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and

Bahrain has very close relations with Britain, its former colonial power."

Domestic affairs Challenges for National Dialogue in the Post-Arab Spring Era: The Case of

Bahrain

Shun Watanabe

Journal of the Asia-Japan Research Institute of Ritsumeikan University, 2019

Access Online

"The “Pearl Spring”, the mass protest movement which occurred in Bahrain in 2011, gathered a lot

of attention amid the wave of the Arab Spring. However, this protest movement was repressed and

the monarchy held onto its rule. What has happened to the country since then? The existing

literature has shown that Bahraini politics after the 2011 uprising have been characterized by

strengthened authoritarian rule and deepening social divisions. Against this background, this article

examines formal and informal, royal-led and society-led attempts for national reconciliation. Though

sincere efforts to bridge these social divisions have been made, their success has been limited.

This article illustrates that a lack of mutual trust or consensus on the form of governance has led

to this limited success. Furthermore, examination of the situation of youth societies also reveals

the influence of the rules of the game exerted on the civilian society."

The End of the Battle for Bahrain and the Securitization of Bahraini Shi‘a

Simon Mabon

Middle East Journal, 2019, Vol.73(1), pp.29-50

Access Online

"Since protests shook Bahrain in 2011, the Saudi-backed regime there has embarked on a series

of strategic moves, crushing dissent both at home and abroad. This article explores the methods

the regime used to ensure its survival. It argues that by framing Bahrain’s Shi‘i majority as a security

threat within broader regional challenges, the regime was able to solidify its core bases of support."

The End of the Battle for Bahrain and the Securitization of Bahraini Shi‘a

In:

Saudi Arabia and Iran: The Struggle to Shape the Middle East Simon Mabon

The Foreign Policy Centre, 12 November 2018

Access Online

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"For many, the archipelago of Bahrain is at the epicentre of the geopolitical and sect-based struggle

between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Situated 16 kilometres from the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia,

linked by the King Fahd Causeway, and 768 kilometres from the west coast of Iran,with a Sunni

minority ruling over a Shi’a majority, it is easy to see how such conclusions are reached. Bahrain’s

geographic location and demographic makeup mean that political events on the island often take

on additional meaning within the context of the rivalry between the island’s two more powerful

neighbours."

Discourse and identity formation: parliamentary

debates in Bahrain Lamya Alkooheji ; Chitra Sinha

Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: John

Benjamin Publishing Company, 2017

Request via Eureka

"The book explores eleven debates held at the Bahraini

Council of Representatives (or the Parliament) over 2007-

2010 to comprehend how parliamentary discourse contributes

towards identity formation within Bahraini society. Within the

framework of critical discourse studies, the book traces the

ideological struggle over power in the linguistic content of

legislative discourse through a range of discursive strategies

and devices. The authors contend that the discursive choices

across the political spectrum in the legislative debates

reflected strong sectarian characteristics which contained in it the seeds of political unrest of 2011,

the so-called 'Arab Spring' of Bahrain. Parliamentary rhetoric and its resonance in the public

sphere, the authors argue, revealed the underlying contradictions in Bahraini society. The book

highlights the significance of legislative discourse as a platform of social cohesion, and its instability

being symptomatic of contradictions within society."

Sectarianism and the Arab Spring: Framing the popular protests in Bahrain

Ahmed K. Al-Rawi

Global Media and Communication, 2015, pp.1-18

Access Online

"Inspired by the events of the Arab Spring, political activists in Bahrain organized an anti-

government demonstration on 14 February 2011, which resulted in the death of one protestor.

Hundreds of other protests followed, and popular anger against the Sunni monarchy is still a vital

issue in the Kingdom. From the earliest stages, the Bahraini government, which is closely aided by

other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, framed the protests as an Iran-backed conspiracy

against the Gulf in an attempt to spread Shiism and infiltrate into the region. This study investigates

the different issues and sentiments framed by the commentators as well as the main online

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communities that were present. Despite its importance in providing a vital venue for the online

public sphere and in documenting popular protests, YouTube is also a platform for schism as

flaming and highly sectarian exchanges of comments are frequently made."

Divisive rule: sectarianism and power maintenance in the Arab Spring: Bahrain,

Iraq, Lebanon and Syria

Heiko Wimmen

Siftung Wissenschaft und Politik, 2014

Access Online

"This research paper seeks to illustrate that the Arab Spring outcomes in Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon

and Syria were brought about by the actions political leaders employed to defeat the challenge that

popular movements presented to their rule. The author argues the rulers exploited specific

weaknesses that made it impossible for these movements to hold on to the inclusive platforms

which initially had gained them support across all social groups. A historical perspective reveals

that the success of these strategies resulted from historical experiences and practices of

authoritarian and violent forms of leadership and rule."

Arab uprisings: breaking Bahrain

Marc Lynch ; Mohammed Ayoob ; Ala’a Shehabi et al.

POMEPS, April 2012

Access Online

"This POMEPS briefing assessed Bahrain’s political situation and predicted future one year after

the fatal events at the Pearl Roundabout in Manama."

Foreign affairs

The politics of aid: GCC support for Bahrain Robert Mogielnicki

Middle East Institute, 30 October 2018

Access Online "In early October, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Kuwait announced an

economic aid package of $10 billion for Bahrain. The fiscal pledge illustrates how massive capital

flows underlie the contentious politics and strategic alliances within the Gulf Cooperation Council

(GCC) and the broader Middle East region. In August 2018, Qatar pledged $15 billion to shore up

Turkey’s beleaguered banking system, while Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait pledged $2.5

billion in fiscal aid to support Jordan in June of this year. Earlier this decade, Bahrain, Oman, and

Yemen each received billions of dollars in aid pledges from GCC countries to stabilize their

economies following the outbreak of protests in 2011."

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Iran’s relations with Bahrain

In:

Security and Bilateral Issues between Iran and its

Arab Neighbours Anoushiravan Ehteshami ; Neil Quilliam ; Gawdat Bahgat

(Eds.) ; Steven Wright (author)

Cham: Springer International Publishing ; Imprint: Palgrave

Macmillan, 2017

Request via Eureka

"In order to understand the depth and intricacies of Iran’s

relations with its Gulf Arab neighbours, it is critical to

appreciate the country’s long-standing historical linkages with

Bahrain, especially given the far-reaching geopolitical effects

of this bilateral relationship. In this chapter, Wright tries to

explain the various factors in this bilateral relationship,

referring to the relations during the Rafsanjani, Khatami,

Ahmadinejad and Rouhani presidencies etc."

IRAN

Iran and the EU The EU and the ongoing US-Iran crisis Przemysław Osiewicz

Middle East Institute, 16 January 2020

Access Online "President Donald Trump’s decision to eliminate Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of the

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Quds Force, might have caught his European partners by

surprise. The author argues that throughout the ongoing crisis, Trump has called on European

allies to sacrifice the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as the Iran nuclear deal is

officially known, and exert more diplomatic and economic pressure on Tehran — a call no one

wants to heed. It is irrelevant which side is right; lack of transatlantic solidarity is a disservice to

both American and European interests in the Middle East."

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Europe and Iran in a fast-changing Middle East Andrea Dessì ; Vassilis Ntousas (Eds.)

Rome, Italy: Foundation for European Progressive Studies;

Istituto Affari Internazionali, 2019

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"The Trump administration’s decision to unilaterally cease

compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal and implement a policy

of “maximum pressure” towards Iran has scuttled the

European Union’s policy of conditional engagement with

Tehran. This book delves into different dimensions of the

current rivalries and geopolitical tensions characterising the

Middle East, addressing their implications for Europe. The

analysis addresses the growing economic hardship in Iran

following the re-imposition of US sanctions and the potential

and prospects of EU-Iran cooperation in trade and energy

domains. A final report addresses EU–Iran relations in the context of the geopolitical tensions

surrounding the US’s withdrawal from the nuclear deal and European interests vis-à-vis Iran and

the region. Progressive recommendations targeting EU actors span multiple layers of EU-Iran

cooperation, both within and beyond the nuclear domain."

War & Peace: Europe and Iran Olya Oliker ; Hugh Pope ; Rob Malley

War & Peace, The International Crisis Group, 16 September 2019

Listen to podcast

"What was so significant about the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, and how important was Europe’s

contribution to it? Why has U.S. President Trump’s ripping up of the accord and subsequent

“maximum pressure” strategy not worked? Amid the ongoing standoff between the U.S. and Iran,

what role can the EU and Russia play in salvaging the deal and averting a military confrontation?

These questions are explored in the first episode of the International Crisis Group's podcast series

War & Peace."

A last line of defence a strategy for Europe to preserve the Iran nuclear deal Riccardo Alcaro ; Andrea Dessì

Istituto Affari Internazionali, 2019

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"One year since the US’s unilateral withdrawal from the joint comprehensive plan of action

(JCPOA), the EU-Iran relationship hangs in a balance. Europe’s attempts at limiting the impact of

renewed US sanctions have thus far had negligible results. Iran has taken note and scaled back

compliance with its nuclear obligations. Not all is lost, however. Europe should delegitimise a policy

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of regime change or destabilisation, facilitate EU-Iran trade, increase assistance to ordinary

Iranians, fight against US extra-territorial sanctions, and wage a sustained diplomatic campaign in

favour of the JCPOA in Tehran and Washington."

Meddling or bargaining? Emmanuel Macron's Iran initiative Mark Leonard ; Ellie Geranmayeh ; Hossein Mousavian ; Ilan Goldenberg

Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes, European Council on Foreign Relations, 6 September 2019

Listen to podcast

"ECFR director Mark Leonard discusses, with experts Ellie Geranmayeh and Julien Barnes-Dacey,

the French president Emmanuel Macron's bold initiative: Europeans are now to explore a credit

line for Iran to entice the sanctions-battered country to keep abiding by an international nuclear

deal. But the US and president Trump are sceptical."

Ilan Goldenberg on Iran, Europe, and the United States Ilan Goldenberg ; Andrea Kendall-Taylor ; Jim Townsend

Brussels Sprouts, The Center for a New American Security, 2 August 2019

Listen to podcast

"CNAS Senior Fellow and Middle East Security Program Director Ilan Goldenberg joins Andrea

Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend for an in-depth look at the current situation in the Strait of

Hormuz. With Iran seizing foreign oil tankers and Washington’s recalcitrance in the face of

European diplomatic efforts, there’s an ever-present danger that escalation might lead to a conflict

that no side wants."

All is not quiet on the Western Front: Trump's Iran policy and Europe's choice on

the nuclear deal Riccardo Alcaro

Istituto Affari Internazionali, 2018

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"The US and Europe have failed to build upon their greatest cooperation success in over a decade,

the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. While Europe has advocated conditional engagement, President

Trump, alarmed by Iran's growing influence in the Middle East, has re-oriented US foreign policy

towards confrontation. He aims at containing and isolating Iran through de-legitimation, sanctions

and support for an anti-Iran. Most importantly, Trump is determined to condition America's

continued participation in the nuclear deal on Europe's agreeing to exert further pressure on Iran

by unilaterally changing the terms of the deal which would be a mistake for Europe."

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Europe and United States fight over Iran, is the United States sanctioning itself in

the foot? Rachel Tausendfreund ; Douglas Hengel ; Joshua Kirschenbaum ; Andrew Small

Out of Order, German Marshall Found, 20 July 2018

Listen to podcast

"The sanctions regime against Iran that led to the JCPOA is widely considered one of the most

successful implementations of sanctions ever, and also the EU’s biggest foreign policy success.

But in May President Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from agreement,

leaving allies and rivals scrambling to respond. Europe has announced its intentions to preserve

the deal and has promised to come up with a plan by November 2019, signalling a willingness to

defy U.S. sanctions to do so. With GMF fellows Douglas Hengel, Joshua Kirschenbaum, and

Andrew Small, Rachel Tausendfreund discusses the role sanctions have played in the global order

and the problem of dollar dominance and potential U.S. overreach."

Europe and the US-Iran escalation Mark Leonard ; Ellie Geranmayeh ; Hossein Mousavian ; Ilan Goldenberg

Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes, European Council on Foreign Relations, 14 May 2019

Listen to podcast

"Mark Leonard is joined by Ellie Geranmayeh, deputy head of ECFR’s MENA programme, Hossein

Mousavian, former Iranian diplomat and scholar, and Ilan Goldenberg, director of the Middle East

Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) and former Pentagon official.

They explore the latest development around the JCPOA, the European and Iranian point of views,

and scenarios for potential US-Iran escalation."

Europe and Iran the economic and commercial dimensions of a strained

relationship Cornelius Adebahr

Istituto Affari Internazionali, 2018

Access via Eureka "Europe and Iran had begun to invest in a closer commercial relationship just when the US withdrew

from the nuclear deal in May 2018. Since then, Washington has re-imposed its stringent economic

sanctions, targeting Iran’s oil exports as a major source of government revenue but also banning

financial transactions with the country. This poses an enormous challenge for the EU, which had

intended to use the 2015 agreement as a stepping stone to promote regional cooperation and a

more comprehensive relationship with Iran."

EU diplomacy and the Iran nuclear deal: staying power? Steven Blockmans ; Astrid Viaud

Centre for European Policy Studies, 2017

Access via Eureka

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"The Iran nuclear deal is a diplomatic success of EU foreign policy. This analysis of the EU's tasks

as coordinator of the Joint Commission overseeing the agreement's implementation evaluates the

EU's performance and if the benefits it derives from lifted nuclear-related sanctions and the opened

Iranian market risk undermining its role as honest broker. The EU is accepted in the Joint

Commission as primus inter pares by Germany, Iran and the Security Council's five permanent

members. How the EU will manage to keep the US in the agreement determines the deal's future

and colours the EU's and its High Representative's legacy as a global diplomatic actor."

Nuclear multilateralism and Iran: inside EU

negotiations Tarja Cronberg

London; New York: Routledge, 2017

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"Drawing on the author's personal experience, this book

presents an insider's chronology and policy analysis of the

EU's role in the nuclear negotiations with Iran. As Chair of the

European Parliament's delegation for relations with Iran,

Cronberg had a ringside seat in the negotiations to prevent

Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Drawing on her

experiences leading a parliamentary delegation to Iran and

interviews with officials, legislators, and opposition leaders in

nearly every country participating in the negotiations, as well

as reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency,

parliaments and independent experts, the author illustrates an insider's strategic understanding of

the negotiations." This book provides an overview of recent historic events, explaining what the

EU's role has been in the negotiations with Iran during the past few years.

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Europe and Iran: the nuclear deal and beyond Cornelius Adebahr

Abingdon: Routledge, 2017

Available at Council Library Main Collection (104568)

"This book aims to explain the specifics of the EU's approach

to Iran, taking into account both the complexity of European

foreign policy, in particular within transatlantic relations, and

Iran's place in the international order. It informs the reader

about the special negotiation format that included a number of

world powers as well as multilateral bodies such as the

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the UN

Security Council. Furthermore, it provides an outlook on

European post-nuclear deal strategies and offers conclusions

on the effectiveness of Europe's multilateral approach to

foreign policy. By looking at the EU's diplomatic activities

towards Iran over more than a decade, the book focuses on Europe's actorness in international

politics." This book gives an overview of the relationship between the EU and the Islamic Republic

of Iran prior to 2017.

Der Iran: analyse einer islamischen Diktatur und

ihrer europaischen Forderer Stephan Grigat ; Simone Dinah Hartmann (Eds.)

Innsbruck, Austria: StudienVerlag, 2008

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"Dieser Band versteht sich als Einspruch gegen die

indifferente Haltung großer Teile der europäischen

Öffentlichkeit: gegenüber dem Terror gegen die iranische

Bevölkerung und der Vernichtungsdrohung gegen Israel

seitens der Teheraner Mullahs. Zum einen geht es um eine

Analyse und Kritik der islamischen Diktatur im Iran. Zum

anderen geht es um das Verhältnis Europas und

insbesondere Deutschlands und Österreichs zu Teheran.

Verhalten Österreichs und Deutschlands gegenüber dem Iran

wird vor dem Hintergrund der vergangenheitspolitischen

Debatten in diesen Ländern diskutiert. Neben den Beiträgen von deutschen und österreichischen

PolitikwissenschaftlerInnen und GesellschaftskritikerInnen finden sich mehrere Aufsätze von

iranischen Oppositionellen".

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Domestic affairs Iran-Report Bahman Nirumand

Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung (Heinrich Böll Foundation), December 2019

Access online

"Diese Ausgabe berichtet ausführlich über die Proteste der vergangenen Wochen und erörtert

Theorien über ihre Hintergründe, Drahtzieher und ihre Bedeutung für die politische Zukunft der

Islamischen Republik. Weitere innenpolitische Themen umfassen u.a. den jüngsten Versuch,

Präsident Hassan Rohani und Parlamentspräsident Ali Laridschani aus ihren Ämtern zu heben, die

Reaktionen auf die harten Urteile gegen die Umweltschützerinnen und Umweltschützer sowie

einen Nachruf auf die bekannteste islamische Feministin Irans, Aazam Taleghani."

Iran's Internet Shutdown Mahsa Alimardani ; Mike Sexton ; Alistair Taylor

Middle East Institute, 12 December 2019

Listen to podcast

"Researcher Mahsa Alimardani and MEI Cyber program director Mike Sexton join host Alistair

Taylor to discuss the recent Iranian internet shutdown, its impact on protests and the nation’s

economy, and what it means for the future of civil liberties in Iran and the wider region."

Iran, Islam and Democracy: The Politics of Managing Change 20 Years On Ali Ansari ; Sanam Vakil

Chatham House, July 2019

Listen to podcast

"20 years after its first publication, Ali Ansari returns to his book, Iran, Islam and Democracy, in its

third updated edition which now includes new contributions on the Ahmadinejad presidency and

the political crisis of 2009, along with a detailed assessment of the election of President Rouhani

in 2013. In discussion with Sanam Vakil, Ali Ansari reviews the arguments made about the

prospects for political change in the Islamic Republic of Iran, both in terms of domestic dynamics

and the impact of regional and international developments, and analyses prospects for the future

both in terms of relations with the United States and political change within Iran itself."

Why did Iran's foreign minister resign? Mark Leonard ; Ellie Geranmayeh ; Hossein Mousavian ; Ilan Goldenberg

Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes, European Council on Foreign Relations, February 2019

Listen to podcast

"Mark Leonard speaks with Ellie Geranmayeh and Dr Kayhan Barzegar about Mohammad Javad

Zarif’s resignation and the current political situation in Iran."

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Iran’s Priorities in a Turbulent Middle East International Crisis Group, April 2018

Access Online

"Divergent views of Iran’s ambitions are driving proxy wars from Syria to Yemen. To stop disastrous

direct confrontation, it is crucial to close the perception gap and that Iran and its adversaries take

mutual steps toward de-escalating tensions. This report goes beyond the polarised debate about

Iran’s regional role and objectives by presenting a variegated view of how stakeholders from across

Iran’s political and institutional spectrum perceive their country’s threat environment and its

responses, and what that holistic – yet nuanced – picture implies for those wanting to confront,

contain or cooperate with Tehran."

Constructing nationalism in Iran: from the Qajars

to the Islamic Republic Meir Litvak (Ed.)

London, England ; New York, NY: Routledge, 2017

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"Nationalism has played an important role in the cultural and

intellectual discourse of modernity that emerged in Iran from

the late nineteenth century to the present, promoting new

formulations of collective identity and advocating a new and

more active role for the broad strata of the public in politics.

The essays in this volume seek to shed light on the

construction of nationalism in Iran in its many manifestations;

cultural, social, political and ideological, by exploring on-going

debates on this important and progressive topic."

Elections et notabilité en Iran: une analyse du scrutin législatif de 2016 dans

quatre circonscriptions Fariba Adelkhah

SciencesPo, May 2017

Access Online "En Iran, le fait électoral s’est banalisé. Il permet l’expression de la diversité, notamment ethnique

et confessionnelle, des terroirs historiques dans les provinces, et témoigne de la

professionnalisation croissante de la vie politique. Paradoxalement, cette professionnalisation

replie la république sur l’ordre de la famille, de la parenté, de l’autochtonie, voire du quartier ou de

la sociabilité dévotionnelle – autant d’instances instillant un sentiment de proximité, de solidarité,

de communion qui renvoie à la fameuse notion d’asabiyat. Selon une expression courante, la

République islamique est devenue une « parentocratie » (tâyefehsâlâri). Le développement

industriel du pays ne contredit pas cette pesanteur, dans la mesure où il repose sur un tissu de

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très petites entreprises familiales. L’analyse des élections législatives de 2016 dans quatre

circonscriptions révèle l’importance dans la vie politique locale de la question foncière,

indissociable de ces différentes consciences particularistes. Des lignes de continuité notabiliaire

avec l’ancien régime se dévoilent, ainsi que de vieux conflits agraires que n’a pas effacés la césure

révolutionnaire et qu’entretiennent ou ravivent les scrutins contemporains."

Understanding Iran: Perspectives in Practice Laura Secor ; Seyed Hossein Mousavian ; John W. Limbert et al.

Princeton University, June 2016

Access video online

"Panelists Laura Secor (Author, Children of Paradise: The Struggle for the Soul of Iran),

Ambassador (ret.) Seyed Hossein Mousavian, and Ambassador (ret.) John W. Limbert explore the

internal and external dynamics of Iran and U.S.-Iran relations. Moderated by Ambassador (ret.)

Daniel C. Kurtzer, this panel event was sponsored by the Sharmin and Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani

Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies, the Woodrow Wilson School for Public and International

Affairs, the Council of the Humanities, and the Program on Science and Global Security."

The quest for democracy in Iran: a century of

struggle against authoritarian rule Fakhreddin Azimi

Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2008

Available at Council Library Main Collection (090201)

"The Constitutional Revolution of 1906 launched Iran as a

pioneer in a broad-based movement to establish democratic

rule in the non-Western world. In a book that provides

essential context for understanding modern Iran, Fakhreddin

Azimi traces a century of struggle for the establishment of

representative government. Analysing how the constitutional

rule was discarded from the 1920s to the Iranian Revolution,

and onwards, Azimi argues that we have fundamentally

misunderstood the revolution by characterising it as an

“Islamic” revolution when it was in reality the expression of a

long-repressed desire for popular sovereignty."

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A history of modern Iran Ervand Abrahamian

Cambridge: Cambridge University press, 2008

Available at Council Library Main Collection (089226)

"In a reappraisal of Iran's modern history, Ervand Abrahamian

traces its traumatic journey across the twentieth century,

through the discovery of oil, imperial interventions, the rule of

the Pahlavis and, in 1979, revolution and the birth of the

Islamic Republic. In the intervening years, the country has

experienced a bitter war with Iraq, the transformation of

society under the clergy and, more recently, the expansion of

the state and the struggle for power between the old elites, the

intelligentsia and the commercial middle class."

Iran: empire of the mind - a history from Zoroaster

to the present day Michael Axworthy

London ; New York: Penguin, 2008

Available at Council Library Main Collection (089548)

"ran often appears in the media as a hostile and difficult

country. But beneath the headlines there is a fascinating story

of a nation of great intellectual variety and depth, and

enormous cultural importance. A nation whose impact has

been tremendous, not only on its neighbours in the Middle

East but on the world as a whole - and through ideas and

creativity rather than by the sword. From the time of the

prophet Zoroaster, to the powerful ancient Persian Empires,

to the revolution of 1979, the hostage crisis and the former

president Mahmud Ahmadinejad - a controversial figure within

as well as outside the country - Michael Axworthy traces a vivid, integrated account of Iran's past."

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Foreign Affairs Iran-Report Bahman Nirumand

Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung (Heinrich Böll Foundation), January 2020

Access online

"Iran steht an einem Scheideweg. Nach dem Austritt der USA und der Wiedereinführung von

Wirtschaftssanktionen droht das Atomabkommen zu scheitern. Der erhoffte wirtschaftliche

Aufschwung, die Öffnung nach außen und vor allem auch die Liberalisierung der theokratischen

Staatsordnung sind in weite Ferne gerückt. Über den Kurs des Landes, auch über die Rolle Irans

in der Region, ist sich die Staatsführung nicht einig. Wie der Machtkampf, der schon seit geraumer

Zeit zwischen Konservativen und Reformern tobt, ausgehen wird, ist ungewiss. Der Iran-Report

wertet Nachrichten verschiedener Quellen aus. Auch um die von den Mächtigen in Iran verfügten

Behinderungen und Einschränkungen der journalistischen Arbeit auszugleichen. Der Iran-Report

produziert keine Schlagzeilen, sondern er erhellt die Meldungen, das Nichtgesagte dahinter."

The Killing of Soleimani and U.S. Response Seth Jones ; Bob Schieffer ; Andrew Schwartz

Center for Strategic & International Studies, 10 January 2020

Access Online

Listen to podcast

"In this episode, Bob and Andrew invite CSIS’s Seth G. Jones, Harold Brown Chair, director of the

Transnational Threats Project, and senior adviser to the International Security Program. They

discuss the latest news about the Ukrainian aircraft that was shot down by Iranians, as well as

President Trump’s address to the nation, and Iran’s vulnerabilities."

US-Iran Tensions After Killing of Qassem Soleimani Randa Slim ; Alex Vatanka ; Alistair Taylor

Middle East Institute, 8 January 2020

Listen to podcast

"MEI experts Randa Slim and Alex Vatanka join host Alistair Taylor to discuss the sharp escalation

in US-Iran tensions following the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Gen. Soleimani,

head of the Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, was killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad on Jan.

3, along with Iraqi paramilitary leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. After several days of waiting to see

how Iran might respond, on Jan. 7 Tehran launched more than a dozen missiles at two bases in

Iraq housing US forces. No casualties were reported, and in comments on Jan. 8 President Trump

promised to impose new sanctions on Iran, but seemed to back away from further military action."

The Killing of Qasem Soleimani Steven A. Cook ; Philip H. Gordon ; Ray Takeyh et al.

Council on Foreign Relations, 7 January 2020

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"In this episode of our special Election 2020 series of The President’s Inbox, Steven A. Cook, Philip

H. Gordon, and Ray Takeyh join host James M. Lindsay to discuss the killing of Qasem Soleimani

and its consequences for the Middle East."

How Will Russia React to the Killing of Soleimani? Jeffrey Mankoff

Center for Strategic & International Studies, 6 January 2020

Access Online "The assassination of Iran’s Quds Force leader General Qasem Soleimani opens a new chapter in

the already tangled story of Washington’s misadventures in the Middle East. While it seems unlikely

that the Trump administration gave much consideration to Moscow’s reaction before ordering the

killing, one way or another, Russia will have a say in what comes next."

Iranian Missiles in Iraq Shaan Shaikh

Center for Strategic & International Studies, December 2019

Access Online

"Iran-backed militias within Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have acquired short-range

ballistic missiles from Tehran, supplementing their existing arsenal of unguided rockets. Israeli

airstrikes on PMF missile depots have killed and injured dozens of Iraqis , straining relations among

the United States, Iraq, and Israel. The author argues that further Iranian missile proliferation in

Iraq could increase the number of potential rocket launch sites, impede the attribution of Iranian

missile attacks, and locate launch sites closer to U.S. and allied forces in the region."

Iran's Syria strategy: the evolution of deterrence Hassan Ahmadian ; Payam Mohseni

International Affairs, 2019, Vol. 95(2), pp.341-364

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"Iran has been a critical player in the Syrian war since 2011, crafting a complex foreign policy and

military strategy to preserve its Syrian ally. What have been the drivers of Iranian decision-making

in this conflict? And how has Iranian strategy evolved over the course of the war? This article

argues that the logic of deterrence has been fundamental not just for shaping the contours of Iran–

Syria relations since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, but also for determining the overall trajectory

of Iranian strategy in the Syrian war. The authors outline Iran's decision-making calculus and divide

the country's strategy on Syria after the Arab Spring into four primary phases: 1) a ‘Basij’ strategy

to establish local militias in Syria; 2) a regionalization strategy to incorporate transnational fighters

and militias in the war effort; 3) an internationalization strategy to incorporate Russia and balance

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the United States; and 4) a post-ISIS deterrence strategy to balance against the United States,

Turkey and Israel. Iran's Syria strategy progressively escalated in response to the possible defeat

of its ally and the deterioration of its forward deterrence capacities against the United States and

Israel. Today, the potential for direct inter-state conflict is rising as proxy warfare declines and Iran

attempts to maintain the credibility of its forward deterrence."

Iran Looking East: An Alternative to the EU? Annalisa Perteghella (Ed.) ; Paolo Magri ; Anoushiravan Ehteshami et al.

Italian Institute for International Political Studies, November 2019

Access Online

"In February 2018, anticipating the US withdrawal from the JCPOA, Iran’s Supreme Leader

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared a policy of “preferring East over West”, thus paving the way for

deeper cooperation with Asian powers such as China, Russia, and India. Differently from the “Look

East” policy promoted during the presidency of Ahmadinejad (2005-2013), the current Iranian

strategy is not only functional to escape the US-led isolation, but it rather seems devoted to the

consolidation of a block of power which can commit to security and economic schemes in

alternative to the Western-dominated ones. This ISPI report aims to answer few crucial questions:

Which are the major initiatives promoted within the Iran’s “Look East 2.0” strategy? To what extent

will Tehran succeed in creating a solid Eastern block? What will be the influence of the wider

geopolitical context? And finally, what role is left for the EU?."

Iran in Syria: decision-making actors, interests and priorities Hamidreza Azizi

The Geneva Centre for Security Policy ; Omran for Strategic Studies, March 2019

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"The article looks at Iran's role in Syria and whether a peaceful compromise between the various

stakeholders can be achieved. The author argues that if the so-called West were to accept Iran’s

interests in Syria and include Iran in the UN peace process in Geneva, the Islamic Republic would

potentially relax its positions on post-war political and military structures, which would significantly

contribute to ensuring a peaceful political transition in Syria."

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Iran’s Policy Toward the Persian Gulf: Dynamics

of Continuity and Change

In:

Security and Bilateral Issues between Iran and its

Arab Neighbours Anoushiravan Ehteshami ; Neil Quilliam ; Gawdat Bahgat

(Eds.) ; Shireen Hunter (author)

Cham: Springer International Publishing ; Imprint: Palgrave

Macmillan, 2017

Request via Eureka

"This book provides a detailed analysis of the complicated

relations between Iran and its Arab neighbours. Arab

perceptions of Iran, its regional policies and role in the Arab

region, have never been more complicated than today. How is

one to make sense of the increasingly complex and at times

tense relationship between Iran and its Arab neighbours?

Given the strategic significance of this sub-region and the importance of relations between its states

to international security, this edited volume systematically accounts for each Arab neighbour's

perception, policies and approach towards the Islamic republic, for the first time providing a clear

and detailed comparative analysis of these relationships."

Iran, the GCC and the Implications of the Nuclear Deal: Rivalry versus

Engagement Riham Bahi

The International Spectator, 03 April 2017, Vol.52(2), pp.89-101

Access via Eureka

"The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the Iran nuclear deal, is consequential for

Middle East regional security. It has raised a number of concerns for Arab Gulf states in relation to

an emboldened Iran after sanction relief and the perceived shift of the US away from supporting its

traditional allies in the Gulf. The international recognition and incorporation of Iran into regional

power constellations resulting from the deal will intensify Saudi-Iranian rivalry to assert dominance.

This rivalry and competition will increase in the short run, however, regional crises are expected to

highlight the need for dialogue and engagement on regional affairs."

Sectarian dilemmas in Iranian foreign policy: when strategy and identity politics

collide Afshon Ostovar

Carnegie, November 2016

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"The Islamic Republic’s foreign policy is a product of its self-interest. Striving to protect Iran’s

Islamic theocracy from external threats drives the country’s approach to foreign affairs. That

approach can, at times, look aggressive or pragmatic. A sectarian angle also exists. Given its

relative alienation from its neighbours since the 1979 revolution, Iran has relied on a strategy of

forming relationships with non-state groups to help promote its strategic interests. Although it

supports Sunni groups, such as the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas, Iran’s backing of Shia

organizations has most angered its neighbours. That practice, often fused with the unofficial policy

of exporting the revolution, has paid dividends for Iran strategically but has also hardened

perceptions of its confessional bias."

IRAQ

Iraq and the EU Discourse and Affect in Foreign Policy: Germany

and the Iraq War Jakub Eberle

London ; New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group,

2019

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"Foreign and security policy have long been removed from the

political pressures that influence other areas of policymaking.

This has led to a tendency to separate the analytical levels of

the individual and the collective. Using Lacanian theory, which

views the subject as ontologically incomplete and desiring a

perfect identity which is realised in fantasies, or narrative

scenarios, this book shows that the making of foreign policy is

a much more complex process. Emotions and affect play an

important role, even where 'hard' security issues, such as the

use of military force, are concerned. Eberle constructs a new theoretical framework for analysing

foreign policy by capturing the interweaving of both discursive and affective aspects in

policymaking. The author uses this framework to explain Germany's often contradictory foreign

policy towards the Iraq crisis of 2002/2003, and the emotional, even existential, public debate that

accompanied it."

The European response and strategies in the Middle East: Iraq and Syrian

conflicts, Islamic terrorism and humanitarian crisis Carlo Paternollo

Fondazione Ismu-Iniziative e Studi sulla Multietnicità, 2017

Access via Eureka

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"This paper aims to analyse and assess the European political approach and strategies towards

the Middle East region, namely regarding the on-going conflicts in Syria and Iraq and the

consequent humanitarian and political crisis."

A history of the Iraq crisis: France, the United

States, and Iraq, 1991-2003 Frédéric Bozo ; Susan Emanuel (translator)

New York: Columbia University Press, 2016

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"In March 2003, the United States and Great Britain invaded

Iraq to put an end to the regime of Saddam Hussein. The war

was launched without a United Nations mandate and was

based on the erroneous claim that Iraq had retained weapons

of mass destruction. France, under President Jacques Chirac

and Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, spectacularly

opposed the United States and British invasion, leading a

global coalition against the war that also included Germany

and Russia. The diplomatic crisis leading up to the war shook

both French and American perceptions of each other and

revealed cracks in the relationship that had been building since the end of the Cold War."

Der Irak-Krieg und die Zukunft Europas Helmut König ; Manfred Sicking

Bielefeld, Germany: Transcript, 2004

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"Die weltpolitischen Konsequenzen des Krieges, den die USA

und ihre »Koalition der Willigen« im März/April 2003 gegen

den Irak geführt haben, sind noch immer nicht im Einzelnen

abzusehen. Aber eine Folge ist bereits sichtbar: Von

niemandem erwartet, ist eine intensive öffentliche Debatte

über die internationale Ordnung und die zukünftige Rolle

Europas in Gang gekommen. Der Irak-Krieg ist zum

Katalysator einer breiten Diskussion über europäische

Erneuerung und europäische Identität geworden. Die in

diesem Band zusammengetragenen Beiträge sind

Wortmeldungen in einer Debatte, die gerade erst angefangen

hat, und sie sind zugleich Interventionen in politische Verwerfungen und Entwicklungen, von denen

noch niemand genau weiß, wohin sie gehen werden und wohin sie gehen sollen."

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Domestic affairs

Iraq's oil and gas industry: the legal and

contractual framework Janan Al-Asady

London ; New York, New York: Routledge, 2020

Request via Eureka

"Oil, an integral part of the contemporary global economy, is

considered a driving force behind the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Hydrocarbon reserves in Iraq have a significant role to play in

global supply, with oil revenue accounting for more than 90%

of Iraqi government income. This book provides an insight into

the key foundations of Iraq's oil industry and assists in the

development of a core area of domestic law to promote

economic recovery following years of instability. It addresses

the development of oil legislation and the formation of

contracts since the US and allied occupation of Iraq in 2003."

Women and democracy in Iraq: gender, politics

and nation-building Huda Al-Tamimi

London: I. B. Tauris, 2019

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"As the post-invasion reconstruction of Iraq has unfolded, the

potential for Iraqi women to participate actively and visibly in

the country's political structure has been one of its most

notable results. The 2005 Constitution required that no less

than 25% of seats in the Iraqi Parliament be filled by women.

Yet despite subsequent parliamentary statistics suggesting

great strides for female political participation, there has been

a resounding silence on the wider implications of this quota for

women in Iraqi political life. Based on interviews with

politicians and substantial media analysis, Huda Al-Tamimi

outlines the political, sectarian and cultural constraints facing female Members of Parliament, and

the ways in which individual women and women's organizations are actively challenging barriers

to their political influence."

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City of black gold: oil, ethnicity, and the making of

modern Kirkuk Arbella Bet-Shlimon

Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 2019

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"Kirkuk is Iraq's most multilingual city. It was also where, in

1927, a foreign company first struck oil in Iraq. City of Black

Gold tells a story of oil, urbanisation, and colonialism and how

these factors shaped the identities of Kirkuk's citizens, forming

the foundation of an ethnic conflict. Bet-Shlimon reconstructs

the twentieth-century history of Kirkuk to question the

assumptions about the past underpinning today's ethnic

divisions. In the early 1920s, when the Iraqi state was formed

under British administration, group identities in Kirkuk were

fluid. But as the oil industry fostered colonial power and

Baghdad's influence over Kirkuk, intercommunal violence and competing claims to the city's history

took hold. The ethnicities of Kurds, Turkmens, and Arabs in Kirkuk were formed throughout a

century of urban development and political mobilization. This book shows how contentious politics

in disputed areas are not primordial traits of those regions, but are a modern phenomenon tightly

bound to the society and economics of urban life."

The reconstruction of Iraq after 2003: learning

from its successes and failures Hideki Matsunaga

Washington, D.C.: World Bank Group, 2019

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"This book focuses on the period between 2003 and 2014, i.e.

after the United States invasion and overthrow of the Saddam

Hussein regime and before the sudden rise of the Islamic State

of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as Daesh. This book

assesses several dimensions of Iraq's reconstruction. First, it

considers the response of key international actors, such as the

United Nations, the United States, and other bilateral donors,

particularly the European Union, Japan, and the United

Kingdom. Second, it analyses the process and results of the

reconstruction of key sectors (electricity, oil, education, and

health), and the interventions geared to institution building and governance reform."

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The sacking of Fallujah: a people's history Ross Caputi ; Richard Hill ; Donna Mulhearn

Amherst ; Boston: University of Massachusetts Press, 2019

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"The Iraqi city of Fallujah has become an epicentre of

geopolitical conflict, where foreign powers and non-state

actors have repeatedly waged war in residential

neighbourhoods with staggering humanitarian consequences.

The Sacking of Fallujah is a study of the three recent sieges

of this city, including those by the United States in 2004 and

the Iraqi-led operation to defeat ISIS in 2016. This book

argues that Fallujah was destroyed by coalition forces, leaving

public health crises, political destabilization, and mass civilian

casualties in their wake."

Federalism, secession and international recognition

regime: Iraqi Kurdistan Alex Danilovich

London ; New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group,

2019

Request via Eureka

"Federalism is widely believed to be an efficient tool to quell

ethnic conflict, yet recently there has been a pronounced

global tendency among ethnic minorities to break away from

larger nations. Iraqi Kurdistan, a region within the newly

established Iraqi federation, also harbours plans to proclaim

its own sovereign state. This volume analyses the factors that

have caused the Kurds to change their minds about living in a

federal Iraq, and the reaction of their neighbours and the

international community at large. Using a broad theoretical

framework of federal studies and secession theory, this book examines the causes for the breakup

of ethnic federations fuelled by nationalism as well as the international regime of recognition of

newly formed entities. It provides a first-hand account and theoretically informed interpretations of

the Iraqi situation, showing that federalism is not always a universal remedy for ethnic and religious

conflicts; it also emphasizes that the international recognition regime is a significant variable in

peoples' actions and aspirations to sovereignty."

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The great betrayal: how America abandoned the

Kurds and lost the Middle East David L. Phillips

London ; New York: I. B. Tauris & Company, Limited, 2019

Request via Eureka

"The twentieth century saw dramatic changes in the once

Kurd-dominated Kirkuk region of Iraq. The author argues that

despite having repeatedly relied on the Kurdish population of

Iraq for military support, on three occasions the United States

have abandoned their supposed allies in Kirkuk. The Great

Betrayal provides a political and diplomatic history of the

Kirkuk region and its international relations from the 1920s to

the present day. In September 2017, Iraqi Kurdistan held an

independence referendum, intended to be a starting point on

negotiations with the Iraqi Government in Baghdad on the

terms of a friendly divorce. The book argues that though the US, Turkey, and Iran opposed it, the

referendum passed with 93% of the vote. Rather than negotiate, Iraq's Prime Minister Heider al-

Abadi issued an ultimatum and then attacked the region. Iraq's Kurdish population have been

abandoned, once again, by their supposed allies in the US."

UN intervention processes in Iraq: a discursive

approach to international relations Kerstin Eppert

London ; New York, New York: Routledge, 2019

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"This book analyses UN intervention discourses and practices

in Iraq and develops a deconstructive approach to

international interventions. Hitherto, most analyses of the

conflict in Iraq in 2003 have established the UN's role as path-

dependent on the foreign policy of the US and the UK, and

largely portrayed it as a mediator and fervent opponent of

international intervention. Analyzing the UN Security Council

and the later UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) from

2000 to 2010, this book undoes this path-dependency and

puts the UN's relationship with Iraq center-stage. It develops

a deconstructive, critical approach that identifies subject construction and reflexivity as central

processes of intervention practices and concludes that (non-)intervention is deeply connected to

the stabilization of political identities and representations."

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The U.S. Army in the Iraq war. Volume 1: invasion

– insurgency – civil war, 2003-2006

The U.S. Army in the Iraq war. Volume 2: surge

and withdrawal 2007 – 2011 US Army ; Joel D. Rayburn ; Frank K. Sobchak

U.S. United States Government US Army, 2019

V. 1 Available at Council Library Main Collection (105546)

V. 2 Available at Council Library Main Collection ( 105670)

"The Iraq War has been the costliest U.S. conflict since the

Vietnam War. The U.S. Army in the Iraq War is the US Army’s

initial operational level analysis of this conflict, written in

narrative format, with assessments and lessons embedded

throughout the work. This study reviews the conflict from a US

Landpower perspective and includes the contributions of

coalition allies, the U.S. Marine Corps, and special operations

forces. Presented principally from the point of view of the US commanders in Baghdad, the

narrative examines the interaction of the operational and strategic levels, as well as the creation of

theatre level strategy and its implementation at the tactical level."

Iraq 2020: What Will Happen to the Protest Movement? Harith Hasan

Carnegie Middle East Center, 23 December 2019

Access Online

"The author argues that the confrontation and bargaining between the street and the oligarchy will

continue, and its outcome will depend on which of the two proves more resilient and adaptive."

Political upheaval in Lebanon and Iraq Paul Salem ; Randa Slim; Alistair Taylor

Middle East Institute, 31 October 2019

Listen to podcast

"MEI’s Paul Salem and Randa Slim join host Alistair Taylor to discuss the nationwide protests that

have swept through Lebanon and Iraq this week resulting in political and economic turmoil as well

as crackdowns by security forces."

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The Deadly Protests Shaking Iraq: What to Know Max Boot

Council on Foreign Relations, 30 October 2019

Access Online

"This article looks at the protest that occurred in Iraq during 2019. Iraq’s struggling economy and

government corruption sparked the protests, in which hundreds have died. The author argues that

the governing elite appeared shaky, and the stability of the country was at stake."

Iraqi youth protesters: Who they are, what they want, and what’s next Haley Bobseine

Middle East Institute, 14 October 2019

Access Online

"Long-standing complaints, compounded by recent events such as the late-September 2019

crackdown on protests calling for employment opportunities for university graduates, removal of

informal housing settlements, and the demotion of popular Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) Staff

Lt. Gen. Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, are among the various reasons propelling protesters to the streets.

The author argues that whatever one’s exact reason, most agreed that political elites have reneged

on their promise to reform and the system needs an overhaul."

Iraq Is Currently Being Shaken by Violent Protests Harith Hasan

Carnegie Middle East Center, 4 October 2019

Access Online

"Iraq has been caught up in a wave of protests. These are effectively a continuation of protests that

began in 2011 and reached a peak last year in Basra. The author argues that what has primarily

driven these protests are socioeconomic demands, anger with poor governance, and a rejection of

rampant corruption in state institutions, as well as their becoming fiefdoms for political and

paramilitary factions."

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Illusions of victory: the Anbar awakening and the

rise of the Islamic State Carter Malkasian

New York: Oxford University Press, 2017

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Listen to Malkasian’s talk with POMEPS, 3 August 2017.

"In the immediate aftermath of the 2007 "Surge" of American

troops in Iraq, the defeat of al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) in the Anbar

Province was widely hailed as one of the US signature

victories. Eventually, the fractious tribal sheiks, with the help

of American troops, united in an ‘Awakening’ that dealt AQI a

stunning defeat. The Awakening's success argued that the US

could intervene in a war-torn country and bring stability. A

decade later, the situation in Anbar Province is different. In

2014, much of Anbar fell to the AQI's successor organisation,

the “Islamic State”, which swept through the region. In this book, Malkasian begins by tracing the

origins of the Awakening, then what happened in its wake. After the United States left, Iraq's Shi'a

government side-lined Sunni leaders throughout the country. AQI, brought back to life as Daesh,

expanded in northern and western Iraq and quickly found a receptive audience among marginalised

Sunnis. In short order, the progress that had resulted from the Awakening fell apart."

Counter jihad: America's military experience in

Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria Brian Glyn Williams

Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2017

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"Counter Jihad seeks to explain America's military campaigns

in the Islamic world. The book attempts to provide a

retrospective on the extraordinary series of conflicts that saw

the US deploy more than two and a half million men and

women to fight in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. Brian Glyn

Williams traces these unfolding wars from their origins in the

Soviet invasion of Afghanistan through U.S. Central

Command's ongoing campaign to "degrade and destroy" the

hybrid terrorist group known as ISIS."

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Contesting borders? The formation of Iraqi Kurdistan's de facto state Johannes Jüde

International Affairs, 2017, Vol. 93(4), pp.847-863

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"The Kurds are the largest territorially concentrated ethnic group in the world without its own nation

state. However, the Iraqi Kurdish population has been striving to establish its own political order for

more than two decades and, in northern Iraq, a markedly developed de facto state has emerged.

Iraqi Kurdistan has established a considerable degree of autonomy and domestic sovereignty,

which is particularly impressive considering the current state of its parent state Iraq. This success

is puzzling, when considered alongside the most prominent theory of state formation, which argues

that it is war that makes states. War does not explain the Kurdish state-making process. Rather, it

has been a major setback for the Iraqi Kurds after 1991. This suggests an alternative theory of

state formation, which argues that social coalitions of key elites can account for successful state-

building. This article argues that the social coalition of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and

Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which sustained state-building in northern Iraq, emerged and

stabilised because of external incentives."

Iraq: people, history, politics Gareth R. V. Stansfield

Cambridge, England ; Malden, Massachusetts: Polity, 2016

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"Few countries can claim to have endured such a difficult and

tortuous history as that of Iraq. Its varied peoples have had to

contend with externally imposed state-building at the end of

the First World War, through to the rise of authoritarian military

regimes, to the all-encompassing power of Saddam Husseins

dictatorship. They have endured destructive wars,

internationally-imposed sanctions, and a further bout of

destabilizing regime change and subsequent state-building

from 2003. The recent rise of the Islamic State, the

consolidation of the Kurdistan Region, and the response of the

Shii populace have brought the country to a de facto partition

that may bring about Iraqs final demise. The second edition of Iraq: People, History, Politics

provides a comprehensive analysis of the political, societal, and economic dynamics that have

governed Iraqs modern development."

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Hans Blix: Reducing the Spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction Hans Blix

The University of Edinburgh, November 2008

Access video online

"In February 2004, Dr. Hans Blix, the former Chief UN Weapons Inspector in Iraq, spoke to over

1200 students and members of the public in the University of Edinburgh's McEwan Hall. In the

lecture, entitled Reducing the spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction: the lessons of Iraq, Dr. Blix

set out his views on the lead-up to the Iraq war."

American invasion of Iraq: causes and consequences Raymond Hinnebusch

Perceptions, 2007, Vol.12(1), pp. 9-27

Access Online

"Examines the causes of the US invasion terms of US global grand strategy, the US strategic

position in the Middle East and the interests of the ruling coalition. Focuses on the consequences:

the destruction of Iraq; radical empowerment in the Middle East; and the expenditure of US soft

power and legitimacy as a hegemon globally and in the region."

Foreign affairs

Containing Tehran: Understanding Iran’s Power and Exploiting Its

Vulnerabilities Seth G. Jones

Center for Strategic & International Studies, January 2020

Access Online

"This report highlights in what manner the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-

QF) has supported a growing number of non-state fighters in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon,

Afghanistan, and Pakistan - including nearly a 50 percent increase since 2016. The author argues

Iran's influence has resulted in these forces becoming better equipped with more sophisticated

weapons and systems."

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Iran-Iraq War: the lion of Babylon, 1980-1988 Anthony Tucker-Jones

Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Military, 2018

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"The bloody eight-year Iran-Iraq war is now almost forgotten,

overshadowed by the subsequent Gulf War and Iraq War.

However, it is best remembered for the unique so-called

'Tanker War' which threatened to strangle the world's oil

supplies. At the time Tucker-Jones as a defence analyst wrote

extensively on the war and now brings his expertise to bear

with this account of a conflict fuelled by festering regional

rivalries, the Cold War and the emerging threat posed by

militant Shia Islam. Fought on land, at sea and in the air using

some of the most modern weapons money could buy,

Western-backed Saddam Hussein's Sunni Iraq and Shia Iran

under the ayatollahs fought themselves to a standstill. Once Saddam's armoured blitzkrieg had

been halted and Iran's human-wave counterattacks fought off, it became a war of attrition with

major battles fought for the possession of Khorramshahr and Basra. Both sides resorted to

chemical weapons and bombarding each other with missiles. When the war spilled over into the

waters of the Gulf it sparked open Western intervention. Escalating attacks on oil tankers finally

culminated in a ceasefire."

Iran and Iraq

In:

Security and Bilateral Issues between Iran and its

Arab Neighbours Anoushiravan Ehteshami ; Neil Quilliam ; Gawdat Bahgat

(Eds.) ; James J. Walsh (author)

Cham: Springer International Publishing ; Imprint: Palgrave

Macmillan, 2017

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"In this chapter, Walsh tries to explain the various factors in

this complex relationship by illustrating how the relationship

has changed from the post-monarchic Iraq/the Shah of Iran

to its current form."

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Iraq: The View from the GCC Margo Balboni

Center for Strategic & International Studies, February 2017

Access Online

"This report analyzes Gulf states' policies towards Iraq before and after Iraq's 2014 leadership

transition. Riyadh in particular has retreated from efforts to wield practical influence in Iraq. Hopes

briefly raised by the ouster of Nouri al-Maliki gave way to reinforced mutual suspicion. Other Gulf

states have pursued divergent approaches to Iraq based on their varying perceptions of

opportunities and threats, but Kuwait alone has pursued a strategic state-to-state relationship with

Iraq."

The Persian Gulf War and the War in Iraq Elizabeth Schmermund

New York, NY : Enslow Publishing , 2017

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"Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and Americans were killed

during the Persian Gulf War, which lasted from 1990 to 1991,

and the Iraq War, which lasted from 2003 to 2011. The author

attempts to give an in-depth look at the complicated

relationship between Iraq and the United States, the reasons

behind these two wars and the decision-makers."

The Iran-Iraq war: Saddam Hussein's attack in the

Middle East Corentin de Favereau ; Carly Probert (translator)

Brussels, Belgium: 50Minutes.com, 2016

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"On 22 September 1980, Saddam Hussein attacked the Shatt

al-Arab with the aim of annexing territories around it. This

marked the start of a protracted war between Iraq and Iran.

After eight years of hostilities that included the controversial

use of chemical weapons, the war finally came to an end, with

neither side achieving significant gains and both suffering a

devastating number of casualties. This book will explain the

political and social contexts of the and analyse the outcome of

the war and its impact on Iran, Iraq and the countries that

supported them."

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Operation desert storm: the invasion of Kuwait

and the second Gulf War Giles Rahier ; Mathieu Roger ; Carly Probert (translator)

Brussels, Belgium: 50Minutes.com, 2016

Request via Eureka

"Iraq’s decision to invade Kuwait, home to one of the largest

oil fields in the world, in 1990 caused panic in the international

community. Consequently, in early 1991 a coalition of

international forces, the largest military alliance since the

Second World War, intervened to drive the Iraqi army out of

Kuwait, inflicting huge losses on Saddam Hussein’s forces in

the process. This book analyses the outcome of the battle and

its impact on the Middle East."

KUWAIT

Kuwait and the EU Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini at the

opening ceremony of the EU Delegation to Kuwait Federica Mogherini

[Kuwait City]: EEAS, 14 July 2019

Access Online

Access video

"’In a moment of regional and global tensions, Kuwait is a voice of wisdom and a force for peace.

And this is what has made us natural partners in these difficult times.’ Those were the words of

High Representative/Vice-President, Federica Mogherini at the opening of the Delegation of the

EU to the State of Kuwait on 14 July 2019."

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Domestic affairs

Kuwait's politics before independence: the role of

the balancing powers Abdulrahman Alebrahim

Berlin, Germany: Gerlach Press, 2019

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"This book re-examines the historiography of constitutional

development in Kuwait. It argues that existing scholarship on

the subject has several shortcomings due to the lack of

consideration given to the role played by some important

social forces in the Kuwaiti political scene. Most historians

working on Kuwait's modern politics have focussed on two

forces: the ruling family and the merchants. Although these

two actors have undeniably been the most influential, other

segments of society, such as the labour force, the villagers,

the intelligentsia and the religious scholars, should not be

overlooked. These forces have had a decisive impact, with varying levels of influence across time,

on the balance of power in Kuwait. This book generates new insights by considering the role of

these balancing forces in influencing the struggle between the sheikhs and the merchants over the

nature of the political system in Kuwait between 1921 and 1962."

Kuwait transformed: a history of oil and urban life Farah Al-Nakib

Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 2016

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"As the first Gulf city to experience oil urbanisation, Kuwait

City's transformation in the mid-twentieth century inaugurated

a now-familiar regional narrative: a small traditional town of

mudbrick courtyard houses transformed into a modern city

with marble-fronted buildings and wide highways. In Kuwait

Transformed, Farah Al-Nakib connects the city's past and

present. She traces the relationships between the urban

landscape, patterns and practices of everyday life, and social

behaviours and relations in Kuwait. The history that emerges

reveals how decades of urban planning, suburbanization, and

privatization have eroded an open, tolerant society and given

rise to the insularity, xenophobia, and divisiveness that characterize Kuwaiti social relations today.

The book makes a call for a restoration of the city that modern planning eliminated."

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Foreign affairs

Kuwait, Oman, and the Qatar Crisis Giorgio Cafiero ; Theodore Karasik

Middle East Institute, 22 June 2017

Access Online "The ongoing Qatar crisis poses a major dilemma for Kuwait and Oman. Consistent with their

“neutral” foreign policies, these two Arab Gulf states have maintained ties with Doha and seek to

resolve the gravest internal Gulf Cooperation Council (G.C.C.) row since the organization’s

establishment in 1981. Officials in Kuwait City and Muscat fear that failure to settle the Qatar crisis

will break up the council, which would directly undermine vital Kuwaiti and Omani national interests

given the potential for such a scenario to dramatically exacerbate regional geopolitical instability."

Iran and Kuwait

In:

Security and Bilateral Issues between Iran and its

Arab Neighbours Anoushiravan Ehteshami ; Neil Quilliam ; Gawdat Bahgat

(Eds.) ; Hamad H. Albloshi (author)

Cham: Springer International Publishing ; Imprint: Palgrave

Macmillan, 2017

Request via Eureka

"In this chapter, Albloshi explains the relationship between

the two countries. Albloshi argues that the relationship has

been influenced and shaped by both local and regional

factors, commencing from the Iranian Revolution in 1979."

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Kuwait: conditions, issues, and foreign relations Sheldon Tyler (Ed.)

New York, New York: Novinka, 2016

Request via Eureka

"Kuwait remains pivotal to U.S. efforts to secure the Persian

Gulf region because of its consistent cooperation with U.S.

strategy and operations in the region and its proximity to both

Iran and Iraq. Kuwait has a Defense Cooperation Agreement

(DCA) with the United States dating back to the aftermath of

the February 1991 U.S.-led expulsion of Iraqi occupation

forces from Kuwait. The pact enables the United States to

maintain forces in Kuwait that are crucial to the U.S. ability to

project power in the region and to combat against the Islamic

State. Kuwait has received no U.S. foreign assistance in

recent years; it has been a significant donor to U.S. operations

in the region since Iraq’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait. This book reviews the conditions, issues and

foreign relations of Kuwait."

OMAN

Oman and the EU Joint Statement by the President of the European Council, the President of the

European Commission and the High Representative on the passing of Sultan

Qaboos bin Said Al Said of Oman Charles Michel ; Ursula von der Leyen ; Josep Borrell

[Brussels]: European Council, 11 January 2020

Access Online

"The European Union will continue to work towards consolidating a strong and enduring partnership

with the Sultanate of Oman and its people."

Domestic Ban Versus Border Rejections: A Case of Oman’s Fish Exports to the

EU

Shekar Bose ; Amina Marhoon Rashid Al Naabi ; Houcine Boughanmi et al.

SAGE Open, 2019, pp.1-12

Access Online

"The decline of Oman’s fish exports to the European Union (EU) since mid-2000s has caused

legitimate concerns among some policy makers and exporters. However, the potential reasons for

the decline have not been fully elucidated. To ascertain the underlying causes of such decline, this

article empirically examines the relative significance of potential economic and policy-related

factors such as border rejections influenced by health and safety measures, supply and demand

capacities, domestic ban, domestic structural changes, and exchange rate fluctuations on Oman’s

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fish exports to the EU. The results obtained from the dynamic unbalanced panel data model for the

period 2000-2013 indicate that fish exports to the EU markets have been influenced by the

domestic ban on export, domestic structural changes, and exchange rate fluctuations rather than

by border rejections. These findings provide important signal to policy makers of the respective

countries in designing adaptive policy approach to address such influences."

EU and Oman sign a Cooperation Arrangement Federica Mogherini ; Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah

[Brussels]: EEAS, 20 September 2018

Access Online

"Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of

the European Commission, in September 2018 with His Excellency, the Minister responsible for

Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman, Mr Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah."

Domestic affairs Oman: Assessing Sultan Qaboos' Half-Century Legacy Julia Craig Romano

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, January 2020

Access Online "Oman’s modern identity has been undeniably interlinked with the life and work of Sultan Qaboos,

and Oman likely has a potentially difficult transition ahead. The author argues that this transition

will be especially troublesome for the new sultan: Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said, who Qaboos

personally selected to succeed him in a document that was kept private until after his passing."

Oman’s new Sultan needs to take bold economic steps John Sfakianakis

Chatham House, 16 January 2020

Access Online "The transition of power in Oman from the deceased Sultan Qaboos to his nephew and the

country’s new ruler, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, has been smooth and quick, but the new sultan will

soon find that he has a task in shoring up the country’s economic position. Sfakianakis argues that

the fiscal and debt profile of the country requires careful management."

As Oman enters a new era, economic and political challenges persist Yasmina Abouzzohour

Brookings, 15 January 2020

Access Online

"Oman under Qaboos was plagued with economic hardship and a closed political scene that led to

various episodes of dissidence. The economy’s limitations and the expectations of a changing

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population will likely cause protests to multiply in the near future. The author argues that the new

sultan must therefore focus on job creation, diversifying Oman’s economy away from natural

resources, and introducing controlled political reforms."

After Qaboos: The future of Oman and Gulf geopolitics Cinzia Bianco

European Council on Foreign Relations, 14 January 2020

Access Online "The author argues that the fractious context of the Gulf means Oman’s new ruler could soon find

himself seeking to emulate his predecessor and championing regional diplomatic dialogue."

Oman’s new era Giorgio Cafiero

Middle East Institute, 13 January 2020

Access Online "The announcement of Sultan Qaboos bin Said al-Said’s passing on Jan. 10 marked the end of an

era. Now that the Arab world lost its longest-serving leader, no Gulf state has a ruler who was on

the throne when the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) was established in 1981. Most Omanis have

never known another leader and this transition period, marked by three days of mourning, is an

emotional time for those in the sultanate. This article assesses Oman’s role as a peacemaker and

its regional and international position."

Oman in the 21st century: issues and challenges Ahmed Nawaz Hakro

New York: Nova Science Publishers, 2019

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"The Sultanate of Oman is known for its internal peace,

tranquillity and political harmony. The country has long been a

success story of growth and development in the region. The

past few decades of development have not only brought about

developmental transformation but have also improved the

governance, standards of living and prosperity of its

population. However, the recent economic globalization and

technological changes have posed a number of challenges for

the depleting resources of the Sultanate of Oman."

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'Without Sultan Qaboos, We Would Be Yemen': The Renaissance Narrative and

the Political Settlement in Oman Sarah G. Phillips ; Jennifer S. Hunt

Journal of International Development, 2017, Vol.29 (5), pp.645-661

Access via Eureka

"Oman's developmental trajectory is a 'positive outlier' to most post-colonial states, particularly

those with significant natural resource reserves. Its trajectory confounds many of the usual

expectations surrounding the impact of rentier incomes on conflict and inclusive development. This

piece attempts to disentangle the threads of Oman's apparent good fortune to reveal characteristics

of its political settlement that may (and may not) have salience elsewhere. This paper spotlights

the influence of narrative and the non-domestic factors that played pivotal roles in the formation

and evolution of the political settlement, suggesting that both have generally been understated

within the literature to date."

Foreign affairs Remembering Oman’s Sultan Qaboos, a critical interlocutor for the US in the

Middle East Bruce Riedel

Brookings, January 2020

Access Online

"Qaboos bin Said Al Said passed away January 10, 2020. Riedel assesses the former Sultan of

Oman role in the region as well the countries relationship with the US."

Omán: entre Irán y un lugar difícil

Oman: between Iran and a hard place Camille Lons

European Council on Foreign Relations, May 2018

Access Online

"Oman has historically been careful to balance its relations with Saudi Arabia and Iran, allowing it

to play a useful role mediating regional disputes. However, as the region’s anti-Iran rhetoric is

ramping up and the Sultanate is having to deal with its own domestic issues, neutrality is becoming

harder to maintain."

Foreign Policy Activism in Saudi Arabia and Oman: Diverging Narratives and

Stances towards the Syrian and Yemeni Conflicts Silvia Colombo

The International Spectator, 03 April 2017, Vol.52(2), pp.54-70

Access via Eureka

"Amid growing animosity and security concerns in the Middle East, the Gulf region appears to be

on the way to becoming the new centre of gravity of regional equilibria. The increasingly active

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foreign policy postures of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is a key aspect of the new

regional order in the making. Saudi Arabia and Oman are two examples of this trend. Their

involvement in the Syrian and Yemeni conflicts reveals important differences regarding the aims,

narratives, political and military postures, strategies and alliances pursued by Riyadh and Muscat

and casts a shadow over the future of GCC cooperation and integration."

Iran-Oman relations since the 1970s: a mutually

beneficial modus vivendi

In:

Security and Bilateral Issues between Iran and its

Arab Neighbours Anoushiravan Ehteshami ; Neil Quilliam ; Gawdat Bahgat

(Eds.) ; Marc Valeri (author)

Cham: Springer International Publishing ; Imprint: Palgrave

Macmillan, 2017

Request via Eureka

"In this chapter, Valeri analyses the bilateral relations via

looking at the religious and demographic factors as well as

how the relationship has evolved since the Dhofar War to the

Rouhani presidency."

Iran's nuclear diplomacy: a response from Oman

In:

An uncertain future: regional responses to Iran’s Nuclear Programme Mohammed Mahfoodh Al Ardhi

The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, January 2014

Access Online "For the Gulf as a whole, Iran’s nuclear ambitions represents the most serious ongoing threat to

the security of the region as a whole. However, there is diversity of opinion, reflecting important

differences in the strategic circumstances and historical experiences of each Gulf state. Not least

Oman with its trading and geographical proximity to Iran."

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QATAR

Qatar and the EU The crisis of the GCC and the role of the European Union Máté Szalai

Middle East and North Africa Regional Architecture, September 2018

Access Online

"Most of the international community was caught by surprise on 5 June 2017 when Saudi Arabia,

the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt announced that they had cut their diplomatic ties with

Qatar and were putting it under an effective embargo. The existence of tensions in the Gulf was

well known, but a rupture of this magnitude among the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council

(GCC) was not foreseeable. Nonetheless, a divided Gulf became a lasting reality to which each

regional and global power, including the European Union, must accommodate its strategy."

EU and Qatar sign a Cooperation Arrangement Federica Mogherini ; Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani

[Brussels]: EEAS, 7 March 2018

Access Online

"Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of

the European Commission, met with His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of

Qatar."

Domestic affairs

Political reforms in Qatar: from authoritarianism

to political grey zone Cihat Battaloğlu

Berlin, Germany: Gerlach Press, 2018

Request via Eureka

"In the past decade, Qatar has emerged as one of the world's

most proactive mediators in the international arena. It has also

experienced a number of domestic changes to its economic

infrastructure, welfare system and political system. Despite

such radical and rapid advances, political reform in Qatar has

proved to be relatively tentative. This book examines political

reforms in Qatar from an analytical, normative, ideological and

empirical perspective. It applies the main concepts and

theories found in the literature on democratic transition. The

book also presents different aspects of political reform in

Qatar, including those prior to the formation of the state. "

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Policy-Making in a Transformative State The Case

of Qatar M. Evren Tok ; Lolwah R. M Alkhater ; Leslie A Pal (Eds.)

London: Palgrave Macmillan UK: Imprint: Palgrave

Macmillan, 2016

Request via Eureka

"This book explores, in a series of detailed case studies, how

public policy is actually made in Qatar. While Qatar is a Gulf

monarchy, its governance is complex. Qatar is deliberately

engaged in a rapid process of radical economic and societal

transformation. That process has its contradictions and

tensions, particularly with regards to achieving a balance

between Islam, social traditions, and modernity. This book

explores how it also has a specific policy dynamic of

generating ideas and institutions, developing policy and

program designs, implementation and coordination. "

Qatar: A Modern History Allen J, Fromherz

Washington, DC, Georgetown University Press, 2012

Request via Eureka

"What role does Qatar play in the Middle East and how does

it differ from the other Gulf states? How has the ruling Al-Thani

family shaped Qatar from a traditional tribal society and British

protectorate to a modern state? Allen J. Fromherz presents a

full portrait that analyses Qatar's crucial role in the Middle East

and its growing regional influence within a broader historical

context. Fromherz gives particular weight to the nation's

economic and social history, from its modest origins in the

pearling and fishing industries to the considerable economic

clout it exerts today, a clout that comes with having the

second-highest natural gas reserves in the region. He also

looks at what the future holds for Qatar's economy as the country tries to diversify beyond oil and

gas. Furthermore, the book examines the paradox of Qatar where monarchy, traditional tribal

culture, and conservative Islamic values appear to coexist with ultra-modern development and a

large population of foreign workers who outnumber Qatari citizens."

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Foreign affairs Soleimani’s Death: A Crippling Blow to the Iranian Regime Ray Takeyh

Council on Foreign Relations, 3 January 2020

Access Online

"The author argues that the U.S. targeted killing of commander Qasem Soleimani marks a further

weakening of Iran’s regime in its struggle against the United States and its ability to project

influence in the Mideast."

The Mideast Just Turned More Dangerous Steven A. Cook

Council on Foreign Relations, 3 January 2020

Access Online

"The author argues the killing in Baghdad of Iranian Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani

escalates an already tense contest in Iraq between U.S. and Iran-backed forces, makes the battle

against the Islamic State more difficult, and is likely to feed further regional upheaval."

Why Doha should worry: the case for an Iran-Qatar non-aggression pact Maysam Behravesh ; Giorgio Cafiero

Middle East Institute, November 2019

Access Online

"Fears of a large-scale war in the Middle East remain heightened as the U.S. continues ratcheting

up sanctions against Iran while Tehran takes measures to scale back its restrictive commitments

under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The latest sign of Iranian retaliation

against the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear accord was its decision, confirmed by the

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Nov. 11, to begin refining uranium at its Fordow

underground enrichment facility. To what extent this cycle of escalation can persist without

triggering a major conflagration between the Islamic Republic on the one hand and the U.S. may

be the most pressing strategic question facing the region today. Qatar finds itself in a uniquely

vulnerable position, in part due to its inescapable entanglement in Iranian-American tensions, but

also compounded by its major foreign policy differences with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Thus, for

Doha, it is essential to find a way to avoid being caught up in any potential U.S.-Iran conflict. "

The Gulf Divided: the impact of the Qatar Crisis Jane Kinninmont

Chatham House, May 2019

Access Online

"Since June 2017, Qatar has been subject to a boycott by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and

Egypt (the Arab Quartet). This has created a deep and lasting rift with ripple effects across the

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Middle East and Horn of Africa. It has also divided the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), hitherto

one of the only functioning regional organizations in the Arab world, which has in effect been

suspended because three of its members are boycotting Qatar. The main reason for the rift is that

the countries of the Arab Quartet object to Qatar’s support for political Islamist movements across

the Middle East, in particular the Muslim Brotherhood. However, the Quartet has raised the stakes

with a list of 13, wide-ranging demands for Qatar to change its policies – including that Qatar should

close down highly influential state-funded broadcaster, Al Jazeera. This demand has helped Qatar

to contend that it is being punished for supporting pro-democracy movements and free media,

rather than acknowledge that some of the Quartet’s criticisms may be justified. This paper lays out

in some detail the reasons for the dispute, and suggests some elements of a possible future

resolution."

The Qatar Crisis Marc Lynch ; Sean Yom ; F. Gregory Gause III et al.

POMEPS, October 2017

Access Online

"On June 5, 2017, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates launched a campaign against Qatar.

Tensions between these Gulf Cooperation Council members were nothing new, but few anticipated

the sudden escalation or the intensity of the campaign. The anti-Qatar campaign leaders then failed

to achieve a rapid resolution of the crisis in their favour through a Qatari capitulation. The GCC

remains badly divided and both sides are increasingly entrenched in their positions This collection

of essays is divided into four major sections: the origins and course of the current conflict; regional

responses; how the Arab uprisings impacted the GCC; and background on the divisive question of

Islamism and the Muslim Brotherhood."

Status and Foreign Policy Change in Small States: Qatar's Emergence in

Perspective Babak Mohammadzadeh

The International Spectator, 03 April 2017, Vol.52(2), pp.19-36

Access via Eureka

"Small states are just as easily seduced by status and glory as other states. When conceived as

situated in a stratified international society, small states acquire an inherent tendency to overcome

their disadvantage in conventional power terms through the pursuit of status. Hence, it is precisely

because of their position in the international hierarchy, not in spite of it, that strategic ideas based

on state size stimulate foreign policy change in small states. This mechanism provides an

explanation to the question why the small state of Qatar has pursued such a high-profile diplomatic

strategy since its emergence in the late 1990s."

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Iran-Qatar relations

In:

Security and Bilateral Issues between Iran and its

Arab Neighbours Anoushiravan Ehteshami ; Neil Quilliam ; Gawdat Bahgat

(Eds.) ; Mehran Kamrava (author)

Cham: Springer International Publishing ; Imprint: Palgrave

Macmillan, 2017

Request via Eureka

"This chapter analyses the political circumstances of which the

Iran-Qatar relationship has developed. By examining events

from prior the Iranian Revolution to the 2000s, the author

argues that the two nations share close ties."

Turkey and Qatar in the Tangled Geopolitics of the

Middle East Birol Başkan

New York: Palgrave Macmillan US: Imprint: Palgrave Pivot,

2016

Request via Eureka

"This book narrates how Turkey and Qatar have come to forge

a mutually special relationship. The book argues that

throughout the 2000s Turkey and Qatar had pursued similar

foreign policies and aligned their positions on many critical and

controversial issues. By doing so, however, they increasingly

isolated themselves in the Middle East as states challenging

the status quo. The claim made here is that it is this isolation—

which became acute in the summer of 2013 - that led the two

countries to forge much stronger relations."

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SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi Arabia and the EU

Statement by the Spokesperson on the attack on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia [Brussels]: EEAS, 15 September 2019

Access Online

"It is important to clearly establish the facts and determine responsibility for this deplorable attack.

At the same time the European Union repeats its call for maximum restraint and de-escalation."

You never listen to me: The European-Saudi relationship after Khashoggi Beth Oppenheim

Centre for European Reform, 2 May 2019

Access Online

"This policy brief argues that EU policy should respond to the destabilising effect of MbS’s Saudi

Wahhabi doctrine, rather than restate traditional arguments about the benefits of trade and security

co-operation. The brief maps the state of European-Saudi relations, arguing that the relationship is

skewed in favour of Saudi Arabia, despite the kingdom’s significant dependencies on Europe. The

brief then lays out the steps that the author recommends the EU and its member-states should take

to create a coherent strategy towards Saudi Arabia: by achieving more convergence on European

arms export policy for the kingdom, engaging in deeper dialogue on regional issues, supporting a

UN-led investigation into the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and increasing support for Saudi activists,

as well as for cultural and education projects."

Domestic affairs Murder in Istanbul - Jamal Khashoggi, Donald

Trump and Saudi Arabia Owen Wilson

Place of publication not identified: Gibson Square, 2019

Request via Eureka

"On 2 October 2018, Saudi-royal courtier and writer Jamal

Khashoggi was trapped by his palace peers into entering the

Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Once there, he was killed in cold

blood in the consul-general’s library in one of the world’s most

infamous conspiracies of the twenty-first century. His body

was dismembered by palace officials in fifteen parts and

packed into five suitcases that were left at the consul-

general’s home. The author argues that the courtier’s murder

had far-reaching consequences and several world figures

became the sworn enemies of the brutal de-facto ruler of

Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Mohammed, during the aftermath of the conspiracy."

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After Aramco: Will halting Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia end Yemen’s war? Ibrahim Jalal

Middle East Institute, 1 October 2019

Access Online "On Sep. 20, Mahdi al-Mashat, a senior leader in the Houthi insurgency (Ansar Allah), announced

that the group would halt attacks on Saudi Arabia, whether by drones or missiles, in the hopes that

the kingdom would reciprocate. At a time when the Houthis have been relentless in asserting their

responsibility for the unprecedented Sep. 14 attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities at Abqaiq and

Khurais, the importance of such a move must not be exaggerated, but nor should it come as a

surprise to policymakers in London, Washington, or Brussels."

After the Aramco attack: a Middle East one step closer to its “1914 Moment” International Crisis Group, September 2019

Access Online

"On 14 September, strikes of uncertain provenance hit Saudi Arabia’s largest oil facilities, taking

some 50 per cent of the kingdom’s oil production temporarily offline. Crisis Group offers a 360-

degree view of the attacks and their implications for Middle Eastern and international peace and

security."

Saudi Arabia as a Model

In:

The Politics of Rentier States in the Gulf Michael Herb ; Marc Lynch ; Ishac Diwan et al.

POMEPS, January 2019

Access Online

"More than two generations have passed since oil transformed the economies and societies of the

Gulf monarchies. Gulf citizens enjoy opportunities unimaginable without oil wealth and have the

security of a comprehensive welfare state. But how sustainable are the Gulf economies? Citizen

populations continue to grow, oil reserves continue to fall, technological advances could lessen

world demand for the Gulf’s oil, and price fluctuations make planning difficult. Most Gulf monarchies

have made little progress in transitioning away from oil despite these widely-recognized incipient

problems. Periods of lower oil prices are met with deficit spending until prices rise again, rather

than serious economic restructuring. They have built economies with deep structural imbalances

that make it more rather than less difficult to reduce their reliance on oil – and political orders which

are deeply constituted by those imbalances and threatened by reform. The section Saudi Arabia

as a Model assesses Saudi Arabia’s labour market reforms and what form Saudi economy needs

to change to be able to exist in a post-rentier society."

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Le prince mystère de l'Arabie: Mohammed ben

Salman, les mirages d'un pouvoir absolu Christine Ockrent

Paris: Robert Laffont, 2018

Available at Council Library Main Collection (105496)

"Qui est Mohammed ben Salman, qui bouscule l'Arabie

Saoudite et séduit les Occidentaux ? A 32 ans, Mohammed

ben Salman, dit MBS, est le prince héritier d'Arabie Saoudite.

Il est le premier petit-fils d'Ibn al-Saoud – le fondateur du

royaume qui porte son nom – à accéder au pouvoir.

Richissime descendant d'une dynastie féodale, il veut

transformer son pays en profondeur en réduisant sa

dépendance au pétrole, en mettant les Saoudiens au travail

et en accordant aux femmes le droit de conduire. Mais derrière

cette façade progressiste, le mystère et les contradictions

demeurent. Obsédé par la menace iranienne, prêt à se rapprocher d'Israël par l'entremise de

Washington, il mène depuis 2015 une guerre sans fin au Yémen, où sévit l'une des plus graves

crises humanitaires contemporaines. Le roi, son père, a 82 ans. S'il lui succède comme prévu,

Mohammed ben Salman pourrait régner un demi-siècle."

Salman's legacy: the dilemmas of a new era in

Saudi Arabia Madawi Al-Rasheed (Ed.)

New York: Oxford University Press, 2018

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"King Salman of Saudi Arabia began his rule in 2015

confronted with a series of unprecedented challenges. The

dilemmas he has faced are new and significant, from

leadership shuffles and falling oil prices to regional and

international upheaval. Salman's Legacy interrogates this era

and assesses its multiple social, political, regional and

international challenges. Whether Salman's policies have

saved the kingdom from serious upheaval is yet to be seen,

but no doubt a new kingdom is emerging. This book offers

historical and contemporary insights into the various problems

that persist in haunting the Saudi state."

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Saudi Arabia at a Crossroads Annalisa Perteghella (Ed.) ; Cinzia Bianco ; Giorgio Cafiero et al.

Italian Institute for International Political Studies, November 2018

Access Online

"Since Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s de facto takeover of Saudi Arabia’s rule, the

kingdom has been trying to adapt and adjust to his reformism. From the promotion of Vision 2030,

which opened up to top-down socio-economic reforms to an assertive foreign policy – the push for

the embargo on Qatar and the conflict in Yemen, above all – the Crown Prince has been in the

spotlight both domestically and internationally. While opportunities lie ahead, so do challenges. As

the country is one of the major powers in the Middle East, and the second largest holder of oil

reserves worldwide, its transformations could greatly affect not only the region, but the rest of the

world as well. This report investigates the possible consequences of the reforms brought about by

MbS in the Saudi economy and society, the effects of his centralisation of power and the impact on

regional stability."

Saudi Arabia: A prince’s revolution Jihan Chara

European View, October 2018, Vol.17(2), pp.227-234

Access via Eureka

"The author argues that Saudi Arabia has been anxious to re-establish its leadership in the GCC

region through disruptive structural changes. Even though it remains difficult to make sense of

these reforms, many analysts have speculated about their purported future relevance. This article

argues that the changes undermine the social contract that has prevailed in the kingdom for

decades, whereby citizens enjoy material comfort in exchange for their loyalty to the regime. Thus

these changes threaten to destabilise the country, with potential lasting effects on the region and

collateral consequences for Europe."

Saudi Arabia as a Resurgent Regional Power Anoushiravan Ehteshami

The International Spectator, 02 October 2018, Vol.53(4), pp.75-94

Access via Eureka

"Ever since the 1980s, the MENA subsystem has been weakening under the weight of persistent

inter-state conflict, violent non-state and sub-state actor incursions, and intense competition for

influence and geopolitical advantage amongst its core states. Furthermore, a domino-like collapse

of autocratic regimes across the Arab region after 2010 heralded an unprecedented level of

disorder, insecurity and chaos. Regional disorder and the general crisis of the state in the Arab

region has aggravated regional fragmentation and has at the same time emboldened Saudi Arabia

and a small group of its neighbours to adopt a more interventionist, and at times belligerent foreign

policy posture. The region’s changing dynamics provide the backdrop for closer analysis of Saudi

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responses to the regional crisis, which itself has been shaped by the changing of the guard in the

Kingdom in 2015. The change is marked by an intensification of Saudi activism and a deepening

of its role as a resurgent regional power."

Arabie saoudite: de l'influence à la décadence Ardavan Amir-Aslani

Paris: L'Archipel, 2017

Available at Council Library Main Collection (104727)

"Cette dynastie tire son pouvoir d’un pacte vieux de deux

siècles entre un prédicateur wahhabite et un émir. Alliance du

sabre et du turban qui assura son hégémonie sur la péninsule

et sur les lieux saints, permettant au courant le plus

conservateur et sectaire de l’islam de diffuser sa pensée dans

l’ensemble du monde arabomusulman – et au-delà. Depuis

2013, le pays pâtit d’une baisse des cours du pétrole qui

menace de faire s’effondrer ce colossal édifice. Ses alliés

historiques jugent de plus en plus sévèrement ses liens

troubles avec le terrorisme islamiste. Confronté à la

désaffection croissante des États-Unis et au retour de l’Iran

sur la scène diplomatique, le régime échappera-t-il à l’implosion?"

A history of Saudi Arabia Madawi Al-Rasheed

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010

Available at Council Library Main Collection (092585)

"This updated edition analyses the challenges, both internal

and external, facing Saudi Arabia in the twenty-first century.

Two new chapters discuss the political, economic and social

developments in the aftermath of 9/11, painting a vivid picture

of a country shocked by terrorism and condemned by the

international community. Madawi Al-Rasheed reveals that

fragmentation of royal politics, a failing economy and

fermenting Islamist dissent posed serious threats to state and

society in 2001. She assesses the consequent state reforms

introduced under pressure of terrorism, international scrutiny

and a social mobilisation of men, women and minorities

struggling to shape their future against a background of repression and authoritarian rule."

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Foreign affairs Cold War in the Islamic World: Saudi Arabia, Iran

and the struggle for supremacy Dilip Hiro

New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2019

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"For four decades Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of

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’ diverse histories,

socio-economic compositions, and claims to exceptionalism.

Saudis present their rivalry with Iran stemming from conflict

between Sunnis and Shias. But, according to Iran's ruling

clerics, their republic is founded on Islamic precepts whereas

Saudis’ dynastic rule lacks legitimacy in Islam. This

foundational schism has played out in a geopolitical

competition for dominance in the region and beyond: Iran has acquired influence in Syria, Iraq and

Lebanon, while Saudi Arabia's hyperactive crown prince, Muhammad bin Salman, has intervened

in the Yemeni civil war against the Tehran-backed Houthis, and tried to destabilize Lebanon and

isolate neighbouring Qatar. In his lucid narrative, Dilip Hiro examines the toxic rivalry between the

two nations, tracing its roots to the eighteen-century Arabia, and examines whether the current

Cold War in the Islamic world is likely to end in the near future."

Threats and alliances in the Middle East: Saudi

and Syrian policies in a turbulent region May Darwich

Cambridge, England : Cambridge University Press , 2019

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"Examining differing perceptions of threats and the

subsequent alliance choices of two Arab states, Saudi Arabia

and Syria, during three pivotal wars in the region: the Iran-Iraq

War (1980–1988), the Lebanon War (2006), and the Gaza

War (2009), May Darwich analyses how ideational and

material forces influence leaders' perceptions in the Middle

East, and their broader international relationships. Using

these comparative cases studies, Darwich advances our

understanding of why, and the conditions under which,

identity can play a predominant role in shaping the perception

of threat in some cases, whilst material power is predominant in others."

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Saudi Foreign Policy 1932-2001: Egypt, Turkey, and Regional

In:

Aspiring Powers, Regional Rivals: Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the New

Middle East David Dumke

The Middle East Institute ; University of Central Florida, December 2019

Access Online

"In this article, David Dumke explains the Saudis’ regional outlook and Riyadh’s relations with Egypt

and Turkey from 1932 to 2001. This study attempts to understand the general state of affairs

between three key regional countries: Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. The author argues that

given that regime survival has become one of the main priorities for all of these actors, more

attention should be given to domestic factors in these countries to better understand the complex

dynamics among them."

Drone Attacks on Saudi Oil Infrastructure are a Calibrated Message from Iran Micha’el Tanchum

Istituto Affari Internazionali, May 2019

Access Online

"The 14 May 2019 drone attack on two oil pumping stations in Saudi Arabia, allegedly carried out

by Iranian-supported Houthi forces in Yemen, was a sophisticated operation. Coming at a time of

increased tensions in the region, and notwithstanding Iranian denials, the attack represents a

carefully calibrated response to the tightening of oil sanctions against Iran and the US Trump

administration’s policy of “maximum pressure” on Tehran. The attacks were preceded three days

earlier by acts of sabotage against ships in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) oil port of Fujairah.

Taken together, these attacks against oil export infrastructure of the leading Gulf state members of

the anti-Iran bloc are a signal that the collective ability of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other Gulf

countries to replace Iranian oil is not assured."

Playing the Diversity Card: Saudi Arabia's Foreign Policy under the Salman’s Thomas Demmelhuber

The International Spectator, 02 October 2019, Vol.54(4), pp.109-124

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"Since the 2003 regime change in Iraq and the 2011 Arab uprisings, the political map of the Middle

East has been in flux. Regional actors have taken advantage of emerging windows of opportunity,

which have affected the outcome of this process. Saudi Arabia’s role as an aspiring regional

hegemon in the region is salient: the country’s assertive course in shaping its neighbourhood

coincides with a more independent foreign policy that goes beyond the traditional US alliance and

seeks to diversify its international partners. This diversification of Saudi foreign policy since the

ascension to the throne of King Salman in 2015 is explained by using the IR concept of hedging.."

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Saudi Arabia: back to Baghdad

International Crisis Group, May 2018

Access Online

"Saudi Arabia has been forging links to Iraq since reopening its Baghdad embassy in 2016. Its

adversary Iran has strong Iraqi ties. This report argues that if Riyadh avoids antagonising Tehran,

invests wisely and quiets anti-Shiite rhetoric, Iraq can be a bridge between the rival powers - not a

battleground."

After the Killing of Jamal Khashoggi: Muhammad bin Salman and the Future of

Saudi-U.S. Relations F. Gregory Gause III

Center for Strategic & International Studies, December 2018

Access Online

"Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman has been ambitious in his efforts to enact economic reforms

in Saudi Arabia. However, these efforts have been accompanied by a series of seemingly poorly-

planned foreign policy decisions. Despite this series of ad hoc decisions, the crown prince has

successfully consolidated power in his own hands in a way that is unprecedented in recent Saudi

history. The author argues that the United States must be wary of insisting on a change of

personnel that could lead to an intra-family conflict. Instead, the administration should encourage

the crown prince to change his behaviour. King Salman should identify an additional interlocutor

who can engage with the United States on foreign policy issues for the foreseeable future."

Fresh Prince: The Schemes and Dreams of Saudi Arabia's Next King F. Gregory Gause III

Foreign Affairs, 2018, Vol.97 (3), pp.75-87

Access via Eureka

"It is not often that a Ritz-Carlton becomes a detention facility. But last November, when a large

slice of the Saudi elite was arrested on accusations of corruption, the luxury hotel in Riyadh became

a gilded prison for hundreds of princes, billionaires, and high-ranking government officials. Behind

this crackdown was the young crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, who is

attempting to remake the kingdom’s economy and social life, and even the House of Saud itself. In

this article, the author looks at MBS role and actions. "

Saudi Arabia and Iran: The Struggle to Shape the Middle East

Simon Mabon (Ed.)

The Foreign Policy Centre, 12 November 2018

Access Online

"This publication examines the increasingly fractious rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran and its

devastating impact, shaped by geopolitical aspirations but given existential importance by claims

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to Islamic legitimacy. As the rivalry has begun to play out in divided societies across the Middle

East such as the ‘proxy arenas’ of Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon, and particularly Syria and Yemen

outlined in this report, their cultivation of sectarian difference has both created and exacerbated

existing social tensions. This has created opportunities for grassroots ‘sectarian entrepreneurs’ to

capitalize with catastrophic humanitarian impact. The publication argues that while there are links

between sectarian groups and their kin in the Gulf, many of these groups exercise their own agency

independent of Saudi Arabia or Iran."

Saudi Arabia’s New Approach in Iraq Renad Mansour

Center for Strategic & International Studies, November 2018

Access Online

"While headlines focus on Sunni-Shi`a tensions in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia is seeking

accommodation with a Shi`a-led government in Iraq in order to push back against Iran. The

opportunities that Baghdad presents to Riyadh could be mutually beneficial, but from the

perspective of many Iraqis, Saudi Arabia’s eagerness to weaken Iran is insufficient to make them

an ally. Saudis must also prove that they are a reliable partner in other arenas, especially in the

economic realm. Ultimately, Riyadh will have to tread carefully in its attempt to build trust. If it cannot

manage to do so, Renad Mansour argues, it risks becoming yet another external power that fails

to re-build the post-Saddam Iraqi state."

Endgames for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in Yemen

In:

Politics, Governance, and Reconstruction in Yemen Kristian C. Ulrichsen

POMEPS, January 2018

Access Online

"When Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched Operation Decisive Storm at

the head of a largely Gulf-led coalition on March 26, 2015, it is likely that few in Riyadh or Abu

Dhabi anticipated a campaign that would last for years with no political or military victory in sight.

The Gulf-led intervention in Yemen – which was renamed Operation Restoring Hope on April 22,

2015 – has reshaped domestic configurations of power in Saudi Arabia and the UAE around a

hyper-hawkish axis that appears set to overshadow aspects of Gulf politics for years to come. In

this essay, Ulrichsen analyses Saudi Arabia’s and the Emirates role in Yemen and how it has

influenced the regional geopolitics."

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Saudi-Iranian Relations: A Troubled Trajectory

In:

Security and Bilateral Issues between Iran and its

Arab Neighbours Anoushiravan Ehteshami ; Neil Quilliam ; Gawdat Bahgat

(Eds.) ; Awadh Al-Badi (author)

Cham: Springer International Publishing ; Imprint: Palgrave

Macmillan, 2017

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"This chapter analyses the cause of the two countries troubled

relationship. It commences by examining the Saudi-Iranian

relationship prior and during the reign of Shah Mohammed

Reza Pahlavi followed analysing what for the relationship took

during and after the Iranian revolution."

The Evolution of Saudi Foreign Policy and the Role of Decision-making Processes

and Actors Umer Karim

The International Spectator, 03 April 2017, Vol.52(2), pp.71-88

Access via Eureka

"Saudi Arabia has witnessed a centralisation of power in the office of the deputy crown prince,

which has amounted to a shift in decision-making from consensual and deliberative to swift and

adventurous, most markedly in foreign policy. This centralisation is coupled with an increase in

institutionalisation. A new decision-making pattern and rising Iranian power in the region have

affected the evolution of Saudi foreign policy. The Saudi crown prince’s strict handling of Shia

dissidents acknowledges the perceived extension of the Iranian threat to internal security. The

relationship between these two princes and Saudi political competition with Iran will affect the

evolution of Saudi foreign policy in a critical manner in the future."

Veränderte Prioritäten am Golf: Saudi-Arabien und die Emirate überdenken ihre

Beziehungen zu Ägypten

Matthias Sailer

Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, January 2016

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"Saudi-Arabien und die Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate (VAE) dürften ihre Geldgeschenke an

Ägypten unter Präsident Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Zukunft deutlich weniger großzügig ausfallen

lassen. Denn Saudi-Arabien hat sich unter dem seit einem Jahr amtierenden König Salman der

Muslimbruderschaft angenähert, die vom ägyptischen Regime als Ursache allen Übels dargestellt

wird. Riads übergeordnete Priorität ist heute, den regionalen Einfluss Irans, vor allem im Jemen

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und in Syrien, einzudämmen. Doch gerade in Syrien weicht Sisis Position von der Saudi-Arabiens

ab. Darüber hinaus ist man in Riad wie auch in Abu Dhabi frustriert, weil Erfolge bei der

Verbesserung von Ägyptens Wirtschafts- und Sicherheitslage ausbleiben. Niedrige Ölpreise

sorgen zudem für eine restriktivere Ausgabenpolitik am Golf. Für Deutschland und die EU bietet

sich damit erstmals seit dem Sturz von Präsident Mohammed Mursi die Gelegenheit, in Ägypten

mittels konditionierter finanzieller Unterstützung auf mehr politische Teilhabe und bessere

Regierungsführung zu drängen."

Saudi Arabia and Iran: Building Understanding for Improved Ties Banafsheh Keynoush

Princeton University, December 2016

Access video online

"Dr. Banafsheh Keynoush, foreign policy advisor, explains the often misunderstood relations

between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran. With tensions often primarily

attributed to religious differences, Dr. Keynoush contextualises the role of religion, broader regional

tensions, and foreign interventions on the two nations’ mutual relations throughout history."

Saudi-Iranian relations since the fall of Saddam Frederic Wehrey ; Theodore W. Karasik ; Alireza Nader et al.

RAND – National Security Research Division, 2009

Access Online

"The often tense relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran has been at the centre of many of the

major political shifts that have occurred in the Middle East since the fall of Saddam Hussein in

2003. This volume documents a study of how relations between the two powers have unfolded in

the Persian Gulf, Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine from 2003 through January 2009. Wehrey et al.

detail the complex and multidimensional relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran and its

implications for regional stability and U.S. interests. In doing so, the authors challenge conventional

thinking about Saudi-Iranian relations, arguing, for example, that Sunni-Shi'a distinctions are not

the key driver in dealings between the two nations, that the two states tend to engage on areas of

common interest, and that the notion of a watertight bloc of Gulf Arab states opposing Iran is

increasingly unrealistic. The study concludes with U.S. policy recommendations for leveraging the

Saudi-Iranian relationship, particularly in the context of a U.S. drawdown in Iraq, the Palestinian-

Israeli conflict, and the Iranian nuclear issue."

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

UAE and the EU EU and UAE sign a Cooperation Arrangement Federica Mogherini ; Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan

[Brussels]: EEAS, 31 January 2018

Access Online

"High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini met in Brussels with the United Arab

Emirates Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah

bin Zayed Al Nahyan."

The United Arab Emirates and the EU [Brussels]: EEAS, 10 May 2016

Access Online

"An overview of political and economic relations between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the

European Union (EU)."

Domestic affairs The end of empire in the Gulf: from Trucial States

to United Arab Emirates Tancred Bradshaw

London: I. B. Tauris, 2020

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"With the end of the British Raj in 1947, the Foreign Office

replaced the Government of India as the department

responsible for the Persian Gulf, and would proceed to

manage relations with the Trucial States (now the United Arab

Emirates, UAE) until British withdrawal in 1971. This work is a

comprehensive history of British policy in the region during that

period, situated for the first time in its broad historical and

political context."

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Citizens in Training: Conscription and Nation-building in the United Arab

Emirates Jon B. Alterman ; Margo Balboni

Center for Strategic & International Studies, 2019

Access Online

Listen to Podcast

In 2014, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) embarked on a bold experiment: It began drafting young

men into the military. This move was not only a departure for the Emirates, it was a departure from

world trends. Governments have been moving away from national service requirements for

decades as military missions have changed and governments have sought to create highly skilled

all-volunteer armies. But the UAE move to press young men into military service was meant to build

the country, not just the army. This study looks at how this might effect the Emirati society and

hierarchical military system."

The United Arab Emirates: power, politics and

policymaking Kristian C. Ulrichsen

London, England ; New York, New York: Routledge, 2017

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"Led by Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the UAE has become deeply

embedded in the contemporary system of international

power, politics, and policy-making. Only an independent state

since 1971, the seven emirates that constitute the UAE

represent not only the most successful Arab federal

experiment but also the most durable. However, the 2008

financial crisis and its aftermath underscored the continuing

imbalance between Abu Dhabi and Dubai and the five

northern emirates. Meanwhile, the post-2011 security

crackdown revealed the acute sensitivity of officials in Abu

Dhabi to social inequalities and economic disparities across the federation. The United Arab

Emirates: Power, Politics, and Policymaking charts the various processes of state formation and

political and economic development that have enabled the UAE to emerge as a significant regional

power and major player in the post Arab Spring reordering of Middle East and North African Politics,

as well as the closest partner of the US in military and security affairs in the region."

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Bedouins into Bourgeois: remaking citizens for

globalization Calvert W. Jones

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017

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"How are state leaders adapting their citizen-building

strategies for globalization? What outcomes are they

achieving, and why? Bedouins into Bourgeois investigates an

ambitious state-led social engineering campaign in the United

Arab Emirates, where leaders aimed to encourage more

entrepreneurial, market-friendly, patriotic, and civic-minded

citizens."

Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, and the Gulf

Region: fifty years of transformation Frauke Heard-Bey

Berlin, Germany: Gerlach Press, 2017

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"The book covers a broad spectrum, including the formation of

the UAE in 1971, the subsequent development of this

federation, the first oil crisis and geopolitical repercussions,

urbanisation, labour migration, electoral systems, trade, the

changing way of life and its implications for traditional loyalties

in the Gulf states and Oman."

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Keepers of the golden shore: a history of the United

Arab Emirates Michael Quentin Morton

London, England: Reaktion Books, 2016

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"For those who visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE), staying

in its the lavish hotels and browsing in the ultra-modern

shopping malls of Abu Dhabi or Dubai, the country can be a

mystery, a glass and concrete creation that seems to have

sprung from the desert overnight. Keepers of the Golden Shore

looks behind this glossy façade, illuminating the region's

history, which stretches from the ancient Arabian tribes who

controlled a desolate but economically important shoreline to

the ostentatious architectural wonders - bankrolled by a

massive wealth of oil - that characterize it today."

Foreign affairs Turkey and the UAE: A strange crisis Birol Baskan

Middle East Institute, 1 May 2019

Access Online "On April 19, Turkey arrested two suspects accused of spying for the United Arab Emirates (UAE),

the latest incident in what has become a worsening crisis in relations between the two countries. It

is unclear exactly what happened, but there are Emirati dissidents living in Turkey, and the UAE

may have been trying to keep track of their activities. This accusation is not in and of itself especially

damaging; indeed, Turkey is frequently accused of spying on its citizens in other countries. More

seriously though, Turkey has also accused one of the suspects of being involved in the murder of

Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in early October 2018. If proven, this accusation

might link the UAE to Khashoggi’s murder and could tarnish its international image."

What is behind the UAE drawdown in Yemen? Fatima Abo Alasrar ; Katherine Zimmerman ; Jerry Feierstein et al.

Middle East Institute, 25 July 2019

Listen to podcast

"The United Arab Emirates’ decision to draw down its troops in Yemen has led to cautious hope in

the war-torn country. Fatima Abo Alasrar, senior analyst at the Arabia Foundation; Katherine

Zimmerman, AEI research fellow and research manager for AEI’s Critical Threats Project; and Jerry

Feierstein, MEI senior vice president and former U.S. ambassador to Yemen, join host Alistair

Taylor to discuss what the drawdown means on the ground and what ramifications the move might

have."

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The Pope, the UAE, and the Muslim Brotherhood Birol Baskan

Middle East Institute, 13 February 2019

Access Online "At the beginning of February, Pope Francis paid a historic visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

For the first time in history, a Catholic pope set foot on the Arabian Peninsula. Since the Second

Vatican Council in the early 1960s, successive popes have engaged in extensive dialogue with and

preached tolerance toward other faiths. Through his visit, Pope Francis not only continued previous

papal efforts to build inter-faith trust and tolerance, but also reached out to hundreds of thousands

of Catholic expatriates living in the UAE. However, much more was at stake for his hosts. For the

Emirati government, the pope’s visit served to highlight its efforts to promote the UAE as a land of

tolerance and to bolster the UAE’s geopolitical objective of discrediting and, if possible,

criminalizing the Muslim Brotherhood in the international community."

The Iran-UAE Gulf Islands dispute: a journey

through international law, history and politics Charles L. O. Buderi ; Luciana T. Ricart

Leiden; Boston: Brill Nijhoff, 2018

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"In this book, the authors take the reader on a journey through

centuries of Gulf history and evolving principles of international

law on territorial disputes to reach conclusions over the rightful

sovereign of three Gulf islands – Abu Musa and the Tunbs –

claimed by both Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Drawing

on a wide range of scholarly works and archival documents

from sources as diverse as the Dutch East India Company, the

Ottoman Empire and the British Government, Buderi and

Ricart analyse historical events from antiquity up to modern

times. Ultimately, the authors reach conclusions on the

ownership of the islands under international law which challenge the positions of both parties."

The United Arab Emirates in the Horn of Africa International Crisis Group, 2018

Access Online

"The UAE, together with its ally Saudi Arabia, played a highly visible role in helping make peace

between Eritrea and Ethiopia. The article argues, as the Emirati footprint across the Horn of

Africa grows, the UAE should avoid having intra-Gulf competition colour its engagement."

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How the UAE Wields Power in Yemen Zachary Laub (interview) ; Neil Partrick (Interviewee)

Council on Foreign Relations, 22 June 2017

Access Online

"Neil Patrick argues that the Gulf nation’s ground troops have cultivated alliances in Yemen with

local armed groups, but its ability to shape the civil war’s outcome is limited."

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and the New "Game of Thrones" Anthony Cordesman

Center for Strategic & International Studies, July 2017

Access Online

"This article argues that Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar all need to pay far more attention to the

cost of security forces and arms transfers. Cordesman argues more attention should be made to

avoid dead-end confrontations in the Arabian Peninsula."

The Horn of Africa’s Growing Importance to the U.A.E. Eleonora Ardemagni

Middle East Institute, 25 April 2017

Access Online "The Horn of Africa is currently playing a pivotal role in the UAE’s security interests at a time of

international uncertainty and demanding domestic transformations. Abu Dhabi’s ‘pivot to the Horn’

strategy is designed to tackle three rising security concerns now: Yemen’s instability, freedom of

navigation threats, and piracy."

Iran-UAE Relations

In:

Security and Bilateral Issues between Iran and its

Arab Neighbours Anoushiravan Ehteshami ; Neil Quilliam ; Gawdat Bahgat

(Eds.) ; Kristian C. Ulrichsen (author)

Cham: Springer International Publishing ; Imprint: Palgrave

Macmillan, 2017

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"In this chapter, Ulrichsen illustrates the evolution of the

relationship, commencing with explaining the relationship

prior to the Iranian Revolution, as well as how it and the Iran-

Iraq War impacted the bilateral relation, up until the JCPOA."