THE TEHRAN TIMES -- In his latest op-ed, International Relations Professor Mahmoud Monshipouri discusses Saudi Arabia’s entanglements in Yemen, which have spilled over into Lebanon.
“How did the crisis and rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia reach this critical point? The rise of young prince Mohammed bin Salman to power has introduced a new element into the way the Saudis strategize about coping with the challenges of domestic politics and regional chaos,” Monshipouri writes. “Saudi involvement — both directly and indirectly — in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Lebanon has thus far failed to pay political dividends. Furthermore, it appears now that the young Saudi prince seeks to shift attention away from his domestic troubles and challenges (reform, purges, young demographics, unemployment and declining oil prices) to more nationalistic and foreign policy oriented contexts to further consolidate his power at home.”