Abstract

The US military invasion of Iraq (2003) and the shift in the balance of power in the region have led to tension in relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Their rivalry for regional hegemony, although they have not entered the two countries into a military conflict cycle, but represent two opposing political ideologies in the region, which used it as a means to pursue their own interests and regional allies. Through proxy wars, they launched sectarianism in weak countries of the region. One of the issues that has led to tension in relations between the two countries is the Syrian civil war. Using the descriptive-analytical method, the author sought to answer the question of whether the competition between Iran and Saudi Arabia in the Syrian crisis can be explained in the form of proxy wars? The hypothesis in response to this question is that the two Iranian and Saudi governments are involved in a proxy war in the Syrian crisis trying to increase their influence and reduce the rival’s influence. The findings show that the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran (the sponsor) has tried to maintain Lebanon’s support channel for the Syrian government (proxy) and help increase its position and influence in the region of Levant. In contrast, Saudi Arabia seeks to reduce the influence of Iran in the region by altering the balance of power in the wake of the collapse of the Assad regime and the interruption of Iranian aid to Hezbollah by supporting opposition groups.