Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with Saudi King Abdullahin Riyadh: Photo courtesy of AP/History Mike.
Gulf Scream: Fear And Loathing In Riyadh--Of Tehran -- Weekly Standard
A few weeks ago, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader called Bahrain Iran's 14th province. Not only did Bahrain react indignantly, but--more important--so did Saudi Arabia. For, even as a potential conflict between Iran and Israel grabs headlines, tensions have been building between Tehran and Riyadh. The Saudis fear both Iran's nuclear program and its expansionist agenda.
And that's not all. The Iranian Revolution of 1979 launched a far-reaching competition between Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia for control of Islam and the ummah, the worldwide community of Muslims. Since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became president, Iran has increased its expenditure of money, energy, and time on proselytizing populations, from Africa to the Gulf.
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Hat Tip: Counter Terrorism Blog.
My Comment: It is all about religion. Many in the West perceive Islam as one monolithic religion. It is not. The Sunni-Shiite divide has the potential of escalating into a war that could rival the Catholic-Protestant wars in Europe.
Iran has made it very clear that they have global ambitions. The Sunni Arabs in the region are listening.