The Islamic Republic of Iran and the GCC states: revolution to realpolitik?

This paper looks at the current state of relations between Iran and the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and places these relations in their recent historical context, aiming to tease out their underlying dynamics and likely future evolution. In particular, the paper examines the impact of Iraq; the part played by the nuclear issue; the consequences of the developing broader regional rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia; the complications arising from the presence in certain of the GCC states of significant Shia communities; territorial disputes; and, finally, the role played by trade and finance in partially neutralizing these sources of conflict.