Anybody want to tell me the appreciable differences between IRAN and Saudi Arabia?

Question

Apart from the fact the US sells weapons of Mass Destruction to the Saudis and want to prevent IRAN from developing theirs.

andy g has found the word.. KSA produces terrorists, Osama being one and they DO harm us, Iran on the other hand have never attacked us outside their boundaries and want to defend their sovereignty.

Answer 1

Hmm it's about time an Arab answers this question (yours truly) after the barrage of laughable comments. To classify countries of sovereignity and history as "like us!" and "don't like us!" and "pretend they like us but really don't" is the silliest thing I've witnessed.

Anyway, Iran is modern day Persia. The inhabitants are of the persian ethnicity (despite some Arab presence in the eastern shores) and not Arabs. Ancient Persia was an emmence pillar of civilization back then, specially in the philosophical and spiritual aspects. The pride of such history continues strong to date among Iranians (specially the ones who supported the Shah and who view that Islam is essentially an "Arab" religion)

Whether it's confirming to western democracy or not, Iran is a form of democracy, direct and transparent voting, but all in the realm of an "Islamic" Democracy. So Islam is the ideological casting of the regime, rather than secular/liberal/Socialist ..etc. The way an "Islamic" candidate shows him/herself is a pretty loose process however, it's similar to the process of which Right-wing republicans get elected, it's enough to utter the words "values" "family" for the crowd to cheer. Similarly it's unknown and can't be measured how "muslim" a person is.

Last I checked it had a population of about 60 million people, the majority (85%) of which follow the Shiaa sect of Islam (as opposed to Sunni in Saudi Arabia).

Saudi Arabia is a monarchy. The regime until the late 90s was the result of a coalition between the religious scholars/authorities and the monarchy. This remains to be the case, but it seems that the religious authorities are being pushed aside to the favour of "enlightened" and educated liberals (note here that liberal in the Arab context is nothing like a "liberal" in the American context), the monarchy remains sensitive in it's decisions to the religious/cultural feelings of it's people.

Saudi Arabia plays (and would like to expand ) a role, which seems to be substantially larger than it's demographic size, through it's Oil wealth, in the Middle East and abroad. It has Mecca -Islam's holiest site- and considers itself to be the central country in -if I may- Islamdom, it views Iran uneasily, for Iran has the resources, people, geography, and most important of all -which is the striking difference between the two- the fervent nationalistic/religious pride and the will of people to move for what they believe. That sort of psyche is almost absent in Saudi Arabia due to decades of astronomical oil revenues and a resulting apathy. Saudi Arabia's government -therefore- prefers to use western-style political tricks behind the curtains. While Iran -as we see- prefers confrontation, politically at least, to further its role and popularity in the Islamic World, and to reconfirm the unique Persian identity (which can be the only the threat to the religious ideology), all in all, Persians don't like Arabs much, the staunch pan-Persianisms view the Islamic effect on Iran as a destruction of the pure and elite "Persian Culture/Empire", and that's what you'll probably hear from those living in the US and Europe, they do remain to be a minority nevertheless.

Iran had a "revolutionary" phase during it's early days which caused much unsettle among the rich shiekhdoms/emirates on the other side of the Gulf. Most Arab countries seem to have forgotten those turbulent 80s, and the war with Saddam Hussein ..etc, but do have their reservations in secret.

The latest "cleft" between SA and IR appeared just a few weeks ago when Saudi Arabia critisized Hezbollah's capture of two Israeli soldiers. It is most definitely fuelled by the apparent embarassment Arab countries (except Syria) met Hezbollah's fierce resistance and the subsequent military humiliation of Israel at the hands of a small militia. Hezbollah remains to be a Shiaa militia, and had it been a Sunni one, SA would have probably praised it, for it can always draw direct or indirect credit to arming/funding such a militia. In this case it seemed like Iran , through Hezbollah, defended and fought in the name of what is -essentially- an Arab cause, which is Lebanon/Palestine ..etc.

The general Arab feeling nowadays is "well these dictators have been promising us a victory and the recapture of our invaded/colonized lands by Israel, for almost 50 years, and they've failed everytime. And now this little militia manages to halt Israel, and drive 30% of it's population into bunkers with primordial weaponry?"

Arab rulers would rather have their populations devoid of any spirit, any will to resist, and any recalcitrant tendencies. Of course, such oppression gives birth to more radical forms of "recalcitrancy" like we all see. Iran starks as a politically-honest and does-what-it-says country, which draws great appeal to Arab populations, which bothers corrupt and essentially American puppet dictators greatly.

I hope that helped.

Answer 2

Iran is a Theocracy and Saudi Arabia a Monarchy. Both want to survive as they are but go about it in different ways. Iran uses religious fervour against the people whereas Saudi (and I'm not in favour of Monarchy) uses their great oil wealth for the slow, but steady, betterment of their people. Since the fall of the Ottoman Empire the West has taken advantage, not only in creating and encouraging particular regimes, but in using them to ensure the region stays volatile and unstable. Again we have a situation where countries that are less than 100 years old (although they are ancient civilisations) are being expected to behave democratically too soon. It will come but political progress (for the people) can be slow.

Answer 3

Assuming your question is not just sarcastic...

Iran's government is based on a compromise between a straightforward theocracy and a direct democracy. Shia Islam, which has been scattered- divided- leaderless- and persecuted for centuries, is believed by the vast majority of its citizens.
Ayatollah Khomeini's revolution succeded in changing the society and religion. Iranian terrorism is not based on tradition or history. Shia terrorism is a composite of Romantic pan-nationalism with extreme anti-globalization populism. Iran's network of militants is larger than Al Queda and more organized.

Saudia Arabia is a monarchy with little democratic pretenses. While the government promotes an extreme form of Sunni Islam called Wahabbism, the country has fought against Sunni religious terrorists for years. Despite the intolerance of their society, the country's leadership is more stable and rational than Iran. Arabia has also absorbed a lot of global culture (McDonalds, et cetera).

Answer 4

The Saudi's are true Muslims (Wahhabi) Mecca is located in Saudi Arabia.

Iran is at this time a Theocracy ran by Shea (a non Wahhabi approved cult)

The true Muslim world does not approve of the Shea practice of worshiping someone other than Mohamed.

The Shea are the people that overran the US Embassy in Tehran and killed many Americans. Blood shed and murder are common in the Shea cult.

Google search the "The day of Ashura" Shea beat themselves and kill other Muslims as a means of worship.

Go big Red Go

Answer 5

The Saudis own us.. Iran wants freedom to produce it's own electricity.. also and most important of all..
Iran will not allow a "Central Bank" Google it and you'll understand why. Don't believe the Hype...

Answer 6

Saudi is ruled by a monarch who is the head of the tribe. Iran is run by a religous theocracy. Shiites who want to rule islam & the world.

Answer 7

Saudi got some seven American military basis and 1000's of American and Jewish spies all over.
Iran got non of these YET.

Answer 8

Saudi Arabian government is a friend of the US and Iranian government is an enemy.

It's a difference between who wants to cooperate with you and who wants to do you harm.

Answer 9

Saudi Arabia is conspiring with USA to steal Iran's oil.

Answer 10

The Saudis pretend to be our friends. Iran doesn't.