BRIDGING DIVIDES: IRAN’S NUCLEAR ASPIRATIONS AND SAUDI-IRAN RAPPROCHEMENT THROUGH A CONSTRUCTIVIST LENS

Abstract

The rapprochement between the two arch rivals of the past and regional power centers of the Middle Eastern geopolitics, Saudi Arabia and Iran, marks a pivotal shift, with enormous implications for regional stability, balance of power, security calculus and global diplomacy. Unlike the efforts of the past, the recent peace deal has been brokered by rising global power China, who has higher geopolitical and geo-economic stakes. Notwithstanding, the Iran’s nuclear program besides its opposition from the West especially the US and its closest ally Israel, has been the primary irritant in normalization of Saudi-Iran relations. For the same reason, Riyadh 
in the past has been very vocal against Iran’s nuclearization ambitions, levelling it as serious security threat for KSA, region as well as global security. In this context, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) though criticized by Riyadh and later witnessed unilateral withdrawal of the US from it, the forestalled process further aggravated Saudi’s concerns, giving space to Tehran to expedite its efforts. This article investigates how Iran’s nuclear program intersects with the Saudi-Iran rapprochement, examining interplay of different regional and extra-regional conflicting interests, with a view to offer plausible options for future West-Iran nuclear deal. 
Employing a constructivist framework, this research examines how ideational shifts, shared perceptions and role of leadership in decision-making influence the Saudi-Iran thaw. The study relies on qualitative analysis of secondary sources, using theoretical insights to gauge the regional dynamics of power, trust and mutual interest. The paper situates analysis within the recent and broader geopolitical context, incorporating the ongoing Hamas-Israel conflict, the regime transition in the US and China’s expanding influence in the Middle East. The research ultimately concludes by offering different options for renewed West-Iran nuclear deal amid these 
evolving dynamics.