Securitization and State Sponsorship of Non-State Actors: Analyzing the Saudi-Iranian Rivalry

This article investigates the dynamics of rivalry and state sponsorship of non-state actors by explaining the Saudi-Iranian rivalry through the lens of securitization theory. The study elucidates that despite the enduring nature of their rivalry, both Iran and Saudi Arabia have exhibited a degree of restraint in escalating their conflicting dyadic relationship. It further notes that this behavior has forced them to securitize various issues in the region, framing them as potential threats to national and regime security, that has allowed them to build alliance and provide critical support to non-state actors across the region. By so doing, Tehran and Riyadh seek to expand their influence and hunt their strategic and tactical objectives within the Middle East. This policy is primarily driven by geopolitical concerns rather than ideological or ethnic entitlements.