# Saudi Arabia severs ties with Iran - what does it mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 3, 2016, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-severs-ties-with-iran-what-does-it-mean/742105 "2016-01-03T21:57:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-severs-ties-with-iran-what-does-it-mean/742105/121 "2016-01-07T02:00:41Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > You seem to be making the common mistake of thinking that the US is the entire world. Iran was not isolated for 35 years because the incident with the US embassy. Iran had no ties with the US, but there are lots of other countries in the world besides the US. One might argue whether the recent tactic was wise, but it’s a mistake to think that Iran was isolated for 35 years after 1979. Iran was pretty isolated and their relations with many nations have been poor sans the U.S. Whenever a western leader visits Iran it makes big news, based on how rare and out of ordinary it is. Iran has had volatile relations with relations with regional states and over the years has been accused of terrorism, from Argentina, Nigeria, Bulgaria, Kenya. The Iranian regime has had its embassy shut down by Britain and Canada. They suck, otherwise a very diplomatically savy regime at all. Look Saudi Arabia executed an activist and unlike other nations’ statements, Iran makes statements such as how God will punish Saudi Arabia. No nation talks like that during disputes. Oh and like the last 37 years, they overrun an embassy. Typical Iran. And Iran is not part of any economic and military alliance of importance except the ECO. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-severs-ties-with-iran-what-does-it-mean/742105/122 "2016-01-07T02:02:28Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > The cleric was part of the Shiite Minority. Saudi Arabia executed 40+ people recently, all or most of whom were considered “terrorists”. Yes one Shia out of 46 Sunnis. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-severs-ties-with-iran-what-does-it-mean/742105/123 "2016-01-07T02:04:50Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Also don’t forget the trigger to ending diplomatic relations was that the Iranians allowed/encouraged/did not stop a mob from overrunning the Saudi embassy and burning parts of it. You’d think after 35 years of resulting isolation they’d have learned the one thing not kosher in international relations, is invading embassies and violating diplomatic immunity. > > (I recall not long after the American embassy in Tehran was overrun, the Soviet one was too. A phone call later, from Moscow, and the Iranian army quickly removed the protesters. One can imagine the content of the phone call…) > > the Saudis typically turned their taps up and down to control the supply and hence price of oil. I think they (a) realized the supply side from fracking was too big to let them be the means to balance supply to demand, and (b) every time they reduce production, their customers go elsewhere and it’s harder to lure them back. Screwing over their enemy Iran (c) and its friend Russia was a bonus of the decision to keep pumping. > > Saudi Arabia is a repressive regime, and in the vein of most repressive regimes, when things are tough they think a few example executions will have the desired result. Sometimes it has the opposite effect. > > But yes, the house of Saud rulers are still pushing 70 or 80. the next generation in their 50’s would have grown up with a lot more western influence. Whether that will count for anything is anyone’s guess. After all, Bashar Assad was a western-educated eye doctor living in London until just before his dad bit the big one. Some civilizing that did for Syria. This is correct, I can’t believe Iran has not learned his lesson after decades. But I disagree that the execution was have a result other than one to the royal family’s liking. The Saudi regime will not be overthrown over this. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-severs-ties-with-iran-what-does-it-mean/742105/124 "2016-01-07T02:07:05Z")
> [@Nema98](#): > > Iran was pretty isolated and their relations with many nations have been poor sans the U.S. Whenever a western leader visits Iran it makes big news, based on how rare and out of ordinary it is. Iran has had volatile relations with relations with regional states and over the years has been accused of terrorism, from Argentina, Nigeria, Bulgaria, Kenya. > > The Iranian regime has had its embassy shut down by Britain and Canada. They suck, otherwise a very diplomatically savy regime at all. Look Saudi Arabia executed an activist and unlike other nations’ statements, Iran makes statements such as how God will punish Saudi Arabia. No nation talks like that during disputes. Oh and like the last 37 years, they overrun an embassy. Typical Iran. > > And Iran is not part of any economic and military alliance of importance except the ECO. Just so you know, this shit is pretty close to incoherent. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-severs-ties-with-iran-what-does-it-mean/742105/125 "2016-01-07T02:12:10Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Also see Syria, where Obama still wants to overthrow the Assad regeim, despite knowing full well that _motherfucking ISIS_ would replace him. Sorry Mr. President, but your forgeign policy has crossed the line from “poorly thought out” to “actively making the world a worse place.” Nah, Obama only insists but is not doing anything to overthrow Assad. Assad has to go, and ISIS is there despite Assad being in power. So it’s wrong to think just because a dictator is in power that no bad actors will come out the scene. Everything bad happening in Syria is under Assad’ s watch. Assad is a murderer who needs to go, anyone who thinks he is the solution is deluding themselves. I can’t imagine this game being any worse in Syria. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-severs-ties-with-iran-what-does-it-mean/742105/126 "2016-01-07T02:14:24Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Just so you know, this shit is pretty close to incoherent. Too bad for you, my point still stands and that is Iran was isolated and not only in regard to the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-severs-ties-with-iran-what-does-it-mean/742105/127 "2016-01-07T02:21:19Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > Does Saudi Arabia have any kind of mutual defense treaty with the US? > > Has Saudi Arabia shot itself in the foot through manipulations of oil prices? Between that and 79% of the 9/11 hijackers being Saudis I wonder if they might find themselves on their own if the conflict turns military. > > I am under the impression that the Saudi military is garbage. See for example thirteen years of comments here: > > [http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/40-173.aspx#startofcomments](http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/40-173.aspx#startofcomments) > > (Scroll up for the original post) > > I am also under the impression that Iran is prepared to fight hard and has more recent experience in doing so. I just saw an article about how Iran has more missiles than they know what to do with. If things escalate, I think Saudi Arabia is in for a very bad time. I doubt it’s garbage, certainly not the best military in the world. But far better than Iran’s, their airforce sucks, hence why Iran never does any bombing in Syria in support of Assad. Many of their military breakthroughs are dismissed by the West as fakes or knock offs of old American planes. Saudi Arabia is light years ahead, the U.S sold them 60 billion worth military hardware. Iran simply can’t compete and Russia only has sold it some stuff here and there. The Saudis have been sustaining a bombing campaign in Yemen for nearly a year , Iran can’t do that at all. The two nations defense budgets are not even close. Riyadh sent and crushed dissent in Bahrain, Iran and it’s ally have failed in Syria, so now have Russia doing the air campaign. Here is an article from a few years ago, regarding Iran’s laughable fighter jet. Shitz can’t fly. > **[Iran's 'fake' fighter jet which experts say can't fly is spotted in the air...](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2277412/Fake-stealth-plane-Irans-Photoshopped-fighter-jet-spotted-air.html)** > > A picture of Iran's fighter jet apparently in flight bears a striking resemblance to a photo taken at its unveiling - with the hangar replaced by a snowy mountain backdrop. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-severs-ties-with-iran-what-does-it-mean/742105/128 "2016-01-07T02:24:34Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > This native English speaker understands “tamper” to mean manipulating in a way that is unauthorized, usually in a way that damages the item. And the dictionaries seem to agree. It has a clear negative connotation, whereas “manipulate” is much more contextual as to whether it is negative. The contexts in which “manipulate” are neutral are pretty narrow. You can manipulate an inanimate object without any negative connotations, but that’s about it - in most other contexts, it’s a decidedly negative term. Certainly, in the context of markets, there’s very, very little differentiation between the two terms. Hell, the term used for illegally influencing a market is [market manipulation.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Market_manipulation) ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Beecher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hank_beecher/32/7275_2.png) [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-severs-ties-with-iran-what-does-it-mean/742105/129 "2016-01-07T02:27:07Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > 😕 The Saudis are great friends of the U.S. Bandar Bush, close kin to two ex-Presidents, served as Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. for over two decades and also served as head of Saudi Intelligence. He also bought me a Budweiser once, in 1999. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-severs-ties-with-iran-what-does-it-mean/742105/130 "2016-01-07T02:29:42Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Just so you know, this shit is pretty close to incoherent. What??? It very to the point I did for everything, yes, almost to the exclusion of the other. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-severs-ties-with-iran-what-does-it-mean/742105/131 "2016-01-07T02:29:43Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > The chances of Iran trying a land invasion are almost zero. If open hostility breaks out they’ll just mine the strait of Hormuz and then funnel money and arms to the shia minority in saudi arabia and sit it out. I always heard Iran would never do this, it relies on the strait more than anyone else, not t mention this would affect neutral regional nations and the world economy. The U.S and others won’t let it stand. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-severs-ties-with-iran-what-does-it-mean/742105/132 "2016-01-07T04:33:16Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > I was under the impression that Saudi Arabia does this all the time, that is, oppress their Shiites in favor of their version of Wahabbi Sunni Islam. Was there any particular significance this cleric had? There traditional MO has been buying out dissenters. Not cutting their heads off. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-severs-ties-with-iran-what-does-it-mean/742105/133 "2016-01-07T04:39:18Z")
> [@Hank\_Beecher](#): > > He also bought me a Budweiser once, in 1999. Bud?? :eek: Bandar really was trying to pass as American, then. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-severs-ties-with-iran-what-does-it-mean/742105/134 "2016-01-08T19:43:32Z")
Now it seems Iran is accusing Saudi forces having boomed it’s embassy in Sanaa, Yemen. There is just some issues with Iran’s claims, first reporters on the grounds do who have visited the site after the alleged bombing, see no visible damage to the building. > **[World News - Breaking News, Top Stories](https://www.huffpost.com/news/world-news?fb_comment_id=1248955421797975_1249120335114817)** > > Catch up on the latest World News news, photos, videos, and opinion. What also seems odd to me is the fact that Yemen cut ties with Iran in October, and therefore the building is no longer Iranian territory as its closed and none functioning. > **[Yemen severs diplomatic ties with Iran: state media](https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0RW1A220151002)** > > The Saudi-backed Yemeni government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi has decided to sever diplomatic relations with Iran, state media reported. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-severs-ties-with-iran-what-does-it-mean/742105.md?page=6)