The question of whether Saudi Arabia is more powerful than Iran involves a complex evaluation of various factors, including military strength, economic resources, political influence, and strategic alliances. Both nations are prominent players in the Middle East and hold significant power within the Islamic world, but their power manifests in different ways. While Saudi Arabia and Iran are often seen as rivals—particularly due to their sectarian divides (Saudi Arabia being predominantly Sunni and Iran being predominantly Shia)—each nation has its own areas of strength and influence that shape its role in regional and global politics.
In this article, we will examine the various dimensions of power—military capability, economic strength, political influence, and regional alliances—to assess whether Saudi Arabia is more powerful than Iran.
1. Military Power
Saudi Arabia: A Well-Funded Military
Saudi Arabia has one of the largest and most well-funded militaries in the Middle East. The kingdom spends billions of dollars annually on its defense budget, making it one of the top military spenders in the world. Saudi Arabia’s military strength comes from its access to advanced Western-made weaponry, including fighter jets, tanks, missile defense systems, and precision-guided munitions.
The Saudi government primarily imports weapons from the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, providing its armed forces with state-of-the-art technology. In particular, its close defense ties with the U.S. give Saudi Arabia access to some of the most advanced military hardware, including the Patriot missile defense system and F-15 fighter jets. However, Saudi Arabia’s reliance on foreign military assistance has raised concerns about its self-sufficiency and the capabilities of its domestic defense industry.
Despite its modern equipment, Saudi Arabia has faced challenges in effectively using its military power, as seen in its ongoing intervention in Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition has struggled to defeat Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran, despite having superior military resources. This conflict has highlighted the limitations of Saudi Arabia’s military prowess in terms of operational effectiveness and strategy.
Iran: Asymmetrical Warfare and Regional Proxies
While Iran’s military budget is significantly smaller than that of Saudi Arabia, Iran has developed a highly effective strategy of asymmetrical warfare. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), particularly its Quds Force, plays a key role in projecting Iranian power across the Middle East through a network of proxy forces and militias. Unlike Saudi Arabia, which relies heavily on conventional military power, Iran excels at unconventional warfare by supporting non-state actors such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Shiite militias in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen.
Iran also has a robust missile program, with a variety of ballistic missiles capable of striking targets across the region, including Saudi Arabia and U.S. military bases in the Gulf. Iran’s missile capabilities were demonstrated in 2020 when it launched a ballistic missile attack on U.S. bases in Iraq in response to the killing of IRGC General Qassem Soleimani. This ability to retaliate swiftly and effectively has given Iran a powerful deterrent capability.
Moreover, Iran has made strides in developing domestic defense industries, producing drones, missiles, and naval assets that allow it to maintain a formidable military presence despite economic sanctions. Iran’s military doctrine focuses on defending the country’s sovereignty and influencing regional affairs through non-conventional means, making it a potent force despite its smaller budget.
Verdict on Military Power
While Saudi Arabia’s military is larger and better equipped in terms of conventional forces, Iran’s strength lies in its ability to conduct asymmetrical warfare and influence through regional proxies. Both countries are powerful in different ways, with Saudi Arabia excelling in conventional military assets and Iran specializing in irregular warfare and missile capabilities. Depending on the context—whether conventional warfare or regional influence through proxy forces—Iran may hold a strategic advantage over Saudi Arabia in terms of its broader regional influence.
2. Economic Strength
Saudi Arabia: Oil Wealth and Economic Diversification
Saudi Arabia is one of the wealthiest nations in the Middle East, largely due to its vast oil reserves. The kingdom holds about 17% of the world’s proven petroleum reserves and is a leading exporter of crude oil. The state-run oil company, Saudi Aramco, is the largest in the world and plays a central role in Saudi Arabia’s economy. The kingdom’s vast oil wealth has allowed it to maintain a high standard of living for its citizens and fund extensive government projects, including military expenditures.
However, the Saudi government is aware of the risks posed by its reliance on oil, especially in light of fluctuating oil prices and the global transition toward renewable energy. In response, Saudi Arabia has launched Vision 2030, an ambitious plan aimed at diversifying its economy and reducing its dependence on oil. This initiative focuses on developing sectors such as tourism, technology, and entertainment, with major projects like NEOM, a futuristic megacity, and the Red Sea tourism project.
Iran: Economic Challenges Amid Sanctions
Iran, while rich in natural resources such as oil and natural gas, faces significant economic challenges due to U.S.-led sanctions. These sanctions, re-imposed after the U.S. withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) in 2018, have severely limited Iran’s ability to export oil and access international financial markets. As a result, the Iranian economy has struggled with high inflation, unemployment, and a declining currency.
Despite these challenges, Iran has shown resilience by developing its domestic industries and creating networks to bypass sanctions. The country has diversified its economy to some extent, focusing on industries such as petrochemicals, automobiles, and agriculture. Iran also has a relatively large population of over 85 million, providing a domestic market for goods and services that helps buffer the economy against external shocks.
In recent years, Iran has sought to strengthen economic ties with countries like China and Russia, in an effort to counterbalance the impact of sanctions. The 25-year strategic partnership agreement with China, for example, could provide Iran with much-needed investment in exchange for oil and access to key infrastructure projects.
Verdict on Economic Strength
While Iran’s economy is more diverse in some areas, Saudi Arabia’s vast oil wealth and its push for economic diversification give it a stronger overall economic position compared to Iran. However, Iran’s ability to withstand economic sanctions and its large population provide some resilience, though its economy remains more vulnerable to external pressures than Saudi Arabia’s.
3. Political Influence and Regional Power
Saudi Arabia: Leading the Sunni World
Saudi Arabia is widely considered the leader of the Sunni Muslim world. As the custodian of Islam’s two holiest cities, Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia wields significant religious and political influence over Sunni-majority nations. The kingdom plays a dominant role in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and has strong ties with Western powers, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia has sought to assert itself as a regional hegemon by building alliances and countering the influence of Shia-majority Iran. In recent years, the kingdom has led the effort to isolate Iran diplomatically and economically, particularly during the Gulf crisis of 2017, when Saudi Arabia and its allies imposed a blockade on Qatar for its ties to Iran. Saudi Arabia also plays a leading role in the Arab League and is a key player in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Iran: A Revolutionary State with Regional Influence
Iran’s political influence is shaped by its position as a revolutionary state following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The country’s foreign policy is driven by a desire to export its model of Shia Islamic governance and challenge the dominance of Sunni monarchies like Saudi Arabia. Iran uses its proxy forces and alliances with non-state actors to extend its influence throughout the region, particularly in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.
Iran’s backing of Hezbollah in Lebanon, Shia militias in Iraq, and Houthis in Yemen has allowed it to project power far beyond its borders. Despite being isolated by sanctions, Iran has maintained a significant influence in shaping regional politics, particularly in the aftermath of the U.S. invasion of Iraq and the Syrian Civil War.
In terms of global alliances, Iran is not as closely aligned with Western powers as Saudi Arabia but maintains strategic partnerships with Russia and China. These alliances allow Iran to bypass some of the isolation imposed by U.S. sanctions and maintain its influence in the region.
Verdict on Political Influence
Both Saudi Arabia and Iran hold significant political influence in the Middle East, but their power is exerted in different ways. Saudi Arabia’s influence stems from its leadership of the Sunni world and its close alliances with Western powers, while Iran exerts its power through proxy forces and regional alliances, often challenging Saudi influence in conflict zones. Neither country can claim absolute dominance, but both wield significant influence in the Middle East.
4. Strategic Alliances
Saudi Arabia: Strong Ties with the West
Saudi Arabia has long maintained strong strategic alliances with Western powers, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom. These alliances provide Saudi Arabia with military support, economic
investment, and political backing on the global stage. Saudi Arabia is a key player in the U.S. security strategy for the Middle East, with U.S. military bases located in the kingdom, and it plays a crucial role in global oil markets.
In addition to its Western allies, Saudi Arabia has forged relationships with other Sunni-majority nations in the region, including Egypt, Jordan, and the UAE. These alliances have strengthened Saudi Arabia’s position as a regional leader and helped counter Iranian influence in key areas of the Middle East.
Iran: Strategic Partnerships with Russia and China
While Iran does not enjoy the same level of Western support as Saudi Arabia, it has built strategic partnerships with Russia and China. These alliances are based on shared interests in countering U.S. influence and expanding economic and military cooperation. Russia and Iran have worked together closely in supporting the Assad regime in Syria, while China has become a significant trading partner for Iran, especially in the wake of U.S. sanctions.
Iran’s regional alliances with Hezbollah, Shia militias, and other non-state actors also give it considerable leverage in conflicts across the Middle East. These relationships allow Iran to project power in ways that Saudi Arabia, with its more traditional alliances, cannot easily replicate.
Verdict on Strategic Alliances
While Saudi Arabia’s alliances with Western powers provide it with a clear advantage in terms of military and economic support, Iran’s partnerships with Russia and China offer an alternative power base that allows it to challenge Saudi interests in the region. Both countries have built strategic networks that serve their geopolitical goals, but Saudi Arabia’s alliances are generally more formalized and institutionalized.
Conclusion: Is Saudi Arabia More Powerful Than Iran?
The question of whether Saudi Arabia is more powerful than Iran cannot be answered definitively, as it depends on how power is measured. In terms of military spending and economic resources, Saudi Arabia holds a clear advantage, thanks to its vast oil wealth and close ties with the West. However, Iran excels in asymmetrical warfare, proxy influence, and regional alliances that give it a powerful presence across the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia may have the upper hand in conventional power, but Iran’s influence through unconventional means and its ability to withstand external pressures like sanctions makes it a formidable adversary. Both countries are powerful in their own right, but their strengths are applied in different ways—Saudi Arabia relies on military and economic dominance, while Iran leverages regional alliances and non-state actors to achieve its strategic goals.
Ultimately, the balance of power between Saudi Arabia and Iran continues to shape the dynamics of the Middle East, and neither nation holds absolute dominance over the other. The rivalry between these two regional giants will likely continue to evolve as they compete for influence in a volatile and changing geopolitical landscape.