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Iran and Qatar: A Forced Rapprochement

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Divided Gulf

Part of the book series: Contemporary Gulf Studies ((CGS))

Abstract

In this chapter Boussois looks at the role of Iran amid the ongoing Gulf Crisis. As the Gulf Cooperation Council, once conceived as a bulwark against a post-revolutionary Iran, increasingly degenerates into a divided intergovernmental forum, Iran appears to benefit from Gulf disunity. In face of a joint Saudi-UAE-led initiative to reconsolidate the Gulf around their narratives, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman might be more inclined to develop their own autonomous policy towards the Islamic Republic. This chapter will look at how Iran might be able to develop new relationships on the Arab side of the Gulf. Nonetheless, although providing Qatar with an umbilical cord amid the embargo, the small emirate has not opted to further integrate policies with Iran beyond the dimensions of trade and hydrocarbon exploration. The question then is whether Iran can actually develop a new more sustainable relationship with its Arab neighbours as the GCC remains divided.

Sébastien Boussois is the author of “Pays du Golfe, les dessous d’une crise mondiale” (Armand Colin, 2019).

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Notes

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    Krieg, A. and Rickli, J.M. (2018). Surrogate Warfare—A Mode of War for the 21st Century. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press (See Chapter 7).

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    Buzan et al. Security.

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    Krieg, A. and Rickli, J.M. (2018). Surrogate Warfare—A Mode of War for the 21st Century. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press (see Chapter 7).

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    Tisdall, S. (2018). Iran’s Enemies Would Be Wise Not to Wish for Regime Change. The Guardian, 1 January 2018.

  36. 36.

    Krieg, A. (2017). The Saudi-Emirati Axis: United Against Gulf Unity. Middle East Eye, 7 December 2017.

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    Wheeldon, T. (2017). Why Iran and Oman Are Strengthening Relations. France 24, 13 July 2017.

  38. 38.

    Krieg, A. (2017). The Saudi-Emirati Axis: United Against Gulf Unity. Middle East Eye, 7 December 2017.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université Libre in Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium

    Sébastien Boussois

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  1. Sébastien Boussois
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Defence Studies Department, King’s College London, London, UK

    Andreas Krieg

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Boussois, S. (2019). Iran and Qatar: A Forced Rapprochement. In: Krieg, A. (eds) Divided Gulf. Contemporary Gulf Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-6314-6_13

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