A region on the brink. (Reuters/Danish Ismail)
Saeed Khan, Quartz: Iran is dangerous—but Saudi Arabia is even worse
Saudi Arabia’s decision to execute Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Al-Nimr was designed to provoke Iran into an expansion of military engagement. That’s an unsettling strategy–but true nonetheless.
The initial reaction to the kingdom’s decision was relatively minor—a few Molotov cocktails were lobbed at its embassy in Tehran. But a chain reaction of diplomatic fallout has unfolded over the past few days. Saudi Arabia severed all diplomatic relations with Iran; oil allies Bahrain, Sudan and Djibouti quickly followed suit. Perhaps more surprisingly, other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) allies like Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates opted for the less drastic measure of recalling their ambassadors.
Update: Iran and Saudi Arabia: Posturing and Reality (George Friedman, Geopolitical Futures)
WNU Editor: In the past I always labelled Iran as the more dangerous of the two. Today .... I can see the day when both countries are equally dangerous to us .... and to themselves.