Impact of Iranian Revolution on GCC Relations: A Study

This report analyzes the impact of the 1979 Iranian Revolution on the relationship between Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, particularly the United Arab Emirates. It employs a qualitative methodology, including grounded theory and case studies, to examine the historical context, key events, and evolving dynamics of the relationship. The revolution, also known as the Islamic Revolution, led to significant shifts in the geopolitical landscape, influencing regional security perceptions and strategies. The report discusses the initial distrust and hostility, the formation of the GCC, and the subsequent development of diplomatic and economic ties. It highlights the impact of US sanctions on Iran and the evolving business potential. The analysis also considers the ideological changes, the expansion of the Islamic revolution's message, and the changing foreign policy approach of Iran. The report concludes that the relationship between Iran and the GCC countries, while complex, has gradually developed, with economic and diplomatic ties growing despite persistent challenges.

Running head: IRANIAN REVOLUTION
Iranian revolution and its impact on the relation with GCC countries
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

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Introduction
The revolution of the year 1979, brought the Iranians across different groups. The
revolutiohas its deep roots in the Iranian history. The Iranian revolution is also known as the
Islamic revolution or the revolution of 1979. It was actually a series of the events which
revolved around the last monarch of Iran called Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. Along with this,
there was Grand Ayatolah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of one of the revolts. It was a
movement against the United States who was supported by different Islamic organizations and
the leftists too. In the year 1977, the demonstrations against the Shah began which grew into the
development of a civil resistance campaign including both the religious and secular elements.
However, the revolution lacked various customary causes of the revolution. It occurred in a
particular nation which was experiencing huge prosperity (Mallaki, Roodsari, and Ahmadi
2017). It also produced deep change at huge speed. A pro- Western totalitarian theocracy was
replaced by anti-Western totalitarian theocracy. It was based on the concept of the Guardianship
of the Islamic Jurists. It was rather a relatively non-violent revolution which helped to redefine
the practice and meaning of the different revolutions. The groups which took part in the
revolution such as the landowners, the clergy, the merchants, the intellectuals had also come
together in the Constitutional Revolution of 1905-11. In the year 1921, the United Kingdom
supported Reza Shah Pahlavi in the establishment of monarchy. In January, 1978, the slanderous
remarks were taken to the streets. Thousand, youths were unemployed and among the recent
immigrants from the countryside. They started protesting against the régime ‘excess. Shah
began vacillating between the repression, concession which assumed that the protests were a part
of the international conspiracy. The government forces killed many people in the anti-regime

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protest which served only to enhance the violence. Martydom played a basic role in the religious
expression. There were also fatalities and after that there were also demonstrations for
commemorating the mourning on the mortalities. Hence, is spite of the efforts of the
governments, a cycle of violence started where every death was fueled more protesting
mentality. Gradually , the violence persistently escalated. The martial law was then imposed by
the regime. The troops killed dozens or the hundreds and few years after that, the workers went
on strike. The oil workers went on strike later which brought the industry on a halt. There were
developments on the demonstrations. As far as the aftermath of the revolution is concerned,
Khomeini declared being supported in a national referendum, Iran as an Islamic republic. The
family protection Act (1967) was significantly amended in the year 1975. It provided more
guarantees along with the rights to the women in marriage.
The revolution of the year 1979, focused on restructuring the society and political system
of Iran along with others across the Islamic world. It refuses to align with the Soviet Union in the
Cold War and the United States too. The newly made Islamic republic tried to create a new
geopolitical order along with the Persian Gulf. The Iranian revolution tried to transform the
Middle East in the second half of the 20th century. After the completion of the 2500 years of
Persian Monarchy, Washington’s “ Twin Pillar” strategy depended on the close ties with Saudi
Arabia. It also marginalized the Iraq for the prevention of the emergence of the pro-Moscow
order across the Persian Gulf area (Sohrabi 2018). When the regional impact is assessed , it can
be seen that it was resonated throughout the Persian Gulf. The Arab Gulf monarchies adopted
the perceptions of the security along with their strategies. In the year 1981, the countries such as
Saudi Arabia and other countries formed the GCC or the Gulf Cooperation Council. The main
goal was safeguarding the monarchies. In the year 1979, the new regime’s rhetoric and the

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conduct shook the Gulf leaders of Arab to their core. The gulf countries such as Arab were
alarmed and the Gulf Sheikdoms of Arab agreed on adopting the coordinated and unified defense
policies instead of going to it alone (Milani 2018). In Saudi, Arabia, King Khalid sent the
secretary –general of the organization congratulating the new firmed Iranian government having
issued a statement. From the perspective of Saudi Arabia, it is a threat to the religious legitimacy
of the al-Saud rulers. However, the tensions between the monarchies of the Arabian Penninsula
and that of Iran did not start with the Iraq-Iraq war or Revolution.
Discussion
The aim of the article is to analyze and understand the issue of the impact of 1979
Iranian revolution on the GCC countries. Changes in relationship between Iran and that of the
gulf countries have significantly changed in the past few years. Due to number economic
sanction of US on Iran, there has been change in the way Iran and gulf countries saw each other
(Fawcett et al. 2016). After number of sanctions being imposed on Iran, it has made an attempt
of neutralizing their relationship with that of Gulf countries. This part of the analysis would be
looking into the present nuances of their relationship in terms of negative and positive aspects. It
is important to consider the fact the GCC countries have initially been reluctant in accepting the
dominant role of Iran on them which has resulted in number of frictions among them (Ganai et
al. 2016). However it is not to deny the fact that the nature of relationship post 1979 has
undergone number of highs and low. The impact of this revolution can be divided into three
distinct parts, like the first part between 1980 to 1989. The nature of relationship during this
paper has largely been restricted to distrust and hostility (Hunter 2019). This phase is marked by
hostility and conflict due to the challenges and threats of the Islamist regime in Iran. Since it

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posed number of threats to the Gulf countries for their Islamism regimes, the nature of cordial
relationship ruined as a result of the same. This led to the development of alliances and ties with
the Gulf Cooperation council in 1981 as a result of the emerging threat (Kechichian 2016). This
security pact was the result of the threat emerging from Iran, however the death of the Iranian
leader Khomeini in 1989, their statistics changed. The revolution of 1979 brought pragmatic
change in the nature of relationship between Iran and the Gulf countries. During the Khomeini’s
rule, there are development of diplomatic relationship between the countries since the religious
aspects had changed to the diplomatic one. However it is t not to deny that the motives an aims
of Iran is not clear in relation to the Gulf countries since they have maintained cordial relation
with that of US much to Iran’s displeasures (Legrenzi 2015). The development of cordial bonds
between Iran and UAE have be possible post 1991 and it can be argued that the change in
relationship has been the result of the change in political regime of Iran. It has come out of the
religious orthodoxies and developed the understanding of friendly and diplomatic ties between
the gulf countries. However the big change came with the formation of The Islamic conference
in 1997 that led to the development of Islamic legitimacy of I Iran’s relationship among the gulf
countries (Marie et al. 2016). However the actual change came in the third phase which is
marked with further development of diplomatic ties between Iran and UAE. This opening up of
the state and their developing ties with these countries has led to the process of developing
economic and trade related relationship this is important to argued at this juncture that the
importance of trade and friendly relationship has been possible only in the post revolution years
(Marie et al. 2016). along with the developing relationship with that of UAE , there is number of
diplomatic and trade bilateral relationship with Qatar , Oman and Iran (Rabi et al. 2017). They

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have signed number of pacts that is expected to foster the development of this friendly
relationship.
However what is important here to argue is the fact that the impact of the revolution
cannot be assessed solely on the basis of economic ties, it is equally important to discuss the
ideological changes that the country has brought to the rest of the Gulf countries. This is
important to understand the change in domestic political structure was not just the change in
government, it was the spread of Islamic revolution and it‘s message in parts of Gulf. Like all
other revolutions of the world, the state was never the sole objective of it; it was the expansion of
this Islamic revolution in other parts of the world. This new Iran in the post revolution period
have be focused on developing number of ties with the Gulf countries since there is significant
change in the foreign policy approach of Iran(Legrenzi 2015) . In addition to this, UAE has
emerged as one of the prime beneficiary of this radical change. The impact of this revolution has
led to the growth of oil export and other trading activities which has made UAE, the largest
trading partner after China. This is further important to consider the negative impact of the
revolution has not been damaging internationally, it has also been damaging for there’re
domestic oil industry since it has been imposed number of economic sanctions, number of
international oil companies have denied to do further trade with the country (Legrenzi 2015).
The impact on the global energy company in the international platform has been equally
impacted by this process. This can be concluded form the above discussion that the development
of friendly ties between Iran and the other Gulf countries have been growing even though at a
slower pace (Hunter 2019). Moreover the tussle US in importing sanction on Iran and their
developing ties with the Gulf countries have been changing since it has been realized that the
changing perspective of Iran’s business potential and their ideological shift will be fruitful not

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only at the domestic platform but also at the international level (Rabi et al. 2017). The
ideological and diplomatic change in Iran’s position has put the country in the ladder of
development. The ambition of the country in the Gulf region and in the global platform has
grown far beyond the boundaries of state since it has been able to successfully move beyond the
ideological conservatism to the diplomatic growth and development.
Relations of Iran with its neighbours in the future
Iran was subject to a high degree of hostility in the past. As a result of the same the
country has struggled in formulating favourable relations with the neighbours in the past.
However, the scenario at present is considered much better than the condition that used to exist
in the past. Iran’s war with Iraq ended in 1988 (Razaviet al. 2013). Ever since that point the
country has had favourable relations with the European Union (Flanagan 2013). Healthy
relations with then members of the European Union has resulted in the increase in the country’s
oil exports. Countries such as France, Germany and Italy are the countries that have acted as
solidified partners of the country in terms of trade. The latter countries are the major importers of
oil from Iran. China and India are countries that are in the similar economic phase as Iran
(Govindaraju and Tang 2013). The latter are also in the similar growth stage in terms of
economic development.
Even though the issues between Iran and Iraq are in favourable conditions than before,
there are various policies that the countries are still trying to work out. The past issues have been
resolved to a degree and the relations have been boosted by the bilateral policies that exist
between the two countries (Esfandiary and Tabatabai 2015). The relations have had favourable
turns ever since the demise of Saddam Hussein, the late president of Iraq. Mahmoud

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Ahmadinejad, became the First Iranian President to visit Iraq after the end of the Islamic
Revolution. The country also has favourable relations with Kazakhstan in terms of trade. Iran
imports petroleum related products, metal and other product from Kazakhstan. The annual
turnover between the two countries was approximately $2 billion dollars in 2009 (Wolf, Wang
and Warner 2013).
Iran has been subject to capitalism. They have been found to capitalising on the needs of
the other countries. It is the general perception in the neighboring countries that Iran is taking
advantage of the war and political hostility that exists in the neighboring nations. The country
has been accused as a country who takes the advantage of misery of other nations. The latter are
accused of creating issues first and then making amends for solving the same. UAE is one of the
major contributors of food supplies to the neighboring countries and thus the reliance of the
neighboring countries on Iran is considered to be huge. Saudi Arabia’s relations with country did
not improve and the latter have been bold enough to state that there are two countries in the
world that do not deserve to exists, the countries are Iran and Iraq. The latter statement means
very less as Saudi Arabia needs to rely on Iraq for food supplies. The country enjoys mixed
relations with UAE (Katzman 2013). Although both countries have established their personal
embassies in each of the countries, there is a considerable amount of dispute that exists between
the two countries regarding the effects of the claims of the three islands that have been in debate
of ownership over the years. The nature of relationships that the country has with its neighbors is
highly affected by the favorable relations with the members of the European Union and the
favourable relations with giants such as India and China. Even though various countries have
negative attitudes towards, Iran, the foreign trade policies act as the base that would help the
country secure favourable relations with the neighbors in the future.

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Conclusion
On a concluding note it can be said that Iran are a country who have been subject to
various disputes with the neighboring countries. The country was in a war with Iraq during the
period of the Islamic revolution. Ever since that period, the company has been able to develop
favourable relations with the neighbouring countries. Although, the country has been subject to
negative attitudes as a result of the unfavourable relations with countries such as Saudi Arabia,
they have been able to secure good relationships with rest of the neighbours including Iraq.
Healthy relations with the members of the European Union and that with the Asian giants China
and India are supposedly perfectly aligned to help the country in order to bolster the efficacy of
relations of the country with the neighbours.

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