INDICATORS AND DETERMINANTS OF FOREIGN TRADE BETWEEN SAUDI ARABIA AND IRAN

The Iranian-Gulf relations during the era of Khatami (1997-2005) witnessed a rapprochement towards the normalization of these relations in various fields, starting with the economic fields with political significance, then the political fields, and this development was reflected in the relations in a group of Gulf interactions that began to take the form of natural relations between The Gulf and Iranian sides, which did not exist in the past, and the nature of the rapprochement was taken in relation to it from the highest levels and various visits, and the issue of oil formed a clear impact on the rapprochement process, so that these relations culminated in the security agreement between the two poles of the Gulf in 2001, the Arab-Saudi Arabia and Iran to mark the beginning of a new and distinguished stage in the Arab-Gulf-Iranian relations in general, and the Saudi-Iranian relations in particular. Iran was seeking rapprochement with Saudi Arabia to consolidate its position and influence in the region to break the stalemate that characterized its foreign policy after the revolution, and Saudi Arabia sees Iran as a key partner in the Gulf region to maintain its security in the event of settling the differences between Iran and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and, in contrast, factors The difference (dissonance) that tops the Iran-UAE dispute over the Emirati islands occupied by Iran and the sectarian difference, it was not an obstacle to rapprochement, although some disputes were raised by some Gulf countries, especially the United Arab Emirates, over the progress of the rapprochement process. Regarding the situation in Iraq after its occupation, and the developments of the Iranian nuclear program, have led to fluctuations in the Gulf-Iranian relations, although the dominant feature of those relations was the march towards rapprochement, evaluating the Iranian-Gulf rapprochement process at present is not easy in light of the successive variables surrounding the political scene in the region and the increasing international influences , and preferably not stop at attempts to improve traditional relations according to, Rather, they should initiate the deepening and development of ways of rapprochement to include all areas of political, economic, social and cultural, despite the existence of some difficulties, and Iran must realize that achieving full rapprochement with the Gulf states depends on solving the outstanding problems, and that this rapprochement should be a means to achieve this goal, And that it is not at the expense of any Gulf country, and it is expected that the future scenario of the Gulf-Iranian relations will be based on continuous consultation between the two parties on common issues while institutionalizing these interactions by establishing joint committees that meet periodically, expanding the field of security cooperation, such as drug control, terrorism, and organized crime, and setting up special arrangements in the field of military cooperation regarding ensuring freedom of navigation in the Gulf and maintaining security and stability in it. In and around the region, it portends a great deal that could threaten the entire region, especially regarding the Iranian nuclear program.