Lesson 4: Saudi Arabia and Iran
February 2, 2026
Review:
- Attendance
- Oil and Conflict in the Middle East
Presentation:
- Rivalry
- Saudi Arabia – Sunni majority
- Iran – Shi’a majority
- Shi’a vs Sunni
- Map of Shi’a vs Sunni population concentrations
- Relative peace until 1979 Iranian Revolution
- Ayatollah Khomeini encouraged uprising against US-Backed Monarchies, specifically Saudi Arabia
- Cold War in the Middle East (Vox, 10:19)
- Saudi Arabia
- Economy weakening, future less certain, signs of trouble
- Saudi Aramco
- World’s largest energy company (CNN Money video, 1:14)
- IPO in 2019 and now Publicly Traded stock
- Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia
- CIA believes MBS ordered Khashoggi murder
- Khashoggi worked at the Washington Post, owned by Bezos
- Woman who campaigned for women’s rights imprisoned
- Saudi Arabia Uncovered (01:40-09:00)
- Iran
- Five reasons why Iran is involved in so many global conflicts (BBC, 15:27)
- Why the Middle East is so important to the US (BBC, 10:23)
- Recent Protests (Al Jazeera, 3:05)
Recommended (not required):
- Bitter Rivals: Iran and Saudi Arabia (PBS Frontline)
- Our Man in Iran (PBS Frontline)
- For Neda (available on HBO and Amazon Prime)
