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billybobbaconator t1_iwh66ao wrote

Weirdly Qatar is the only gulf state to have a passably good relationship with Iran

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defroach84 t1_iwhcb6n wrote

Religion is a weird drug.

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billybobbaconator t1_iwhfc1l wrote

*oil is a weird drug

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defroach84 t1_iwhfiv9 wrote

They aren't friends with Iran due to oil.

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billybobbaconator t1_iwhh291 wrote

Iran is Shiite and Qatar is a Wahhabi influenced Sunni state, so they aren’t friends due to religion. However they do share the world’s largest oil and gas field, which they cooperate to drill. In short, they are friendly because of petroleum, not religion.

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defroach84 t1_iwhobhn wrote

Correct me if I'm wrong, I thought the royal family was a different sect than a majority of the population, also why the had an issue with UAE and Saudi a couple years back.

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billybobbaconator t1_iwhz2t4 wrote

That’s Bahrain

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defroach84 t1_iwi0vcx wrote

Considering I was born there, I would think I would know that.

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billybobbaconator t1_iwi1rk8 wrote

The ruling Al khalifas are Sunni while the majority of the (native) population are Shia

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throwaway481677 t1_iwhjpaa wrote

You realise that the difference between Islam in Iran and the islam in gulf states is huge? Shiite muslims especially after the first islamic civil war, would get along better with Jews and Christians than with Sunnites

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defroach84 t1_iwhp67x wrote

I realize that, I was thinking Qatar was from the same sect as Iran, which also was why they had major issues with Saudi and the UAE recently. Apparently I was wrong.

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throwaway481677 t1_iwhsmf1 wrote

Tbf if it was a Shiite state it would've never existed in the first place, Wahhabists from Saudia Arabia wouldn't have allowed it

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er1992 t1_iwio29y wrote

Might wanna read about Oman's relationship with Iran

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Dezphul t1_iwk6j41 wrote

Oman has a robust diplomatic relationship with iran, not a friendly one

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mcfc_099 t1_iwi9pnz wrote

Why do the other states have dilemmas with Iran ?

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billybobbaconator t1_iwiahn3 wrote

Saudi Arabia’s religious doctrine holds that Iran’s majority Shia sect are non-Muslim heretics. Also, the Gulf states supported Saddam Hussein during the Iran Iraq war and Iran supports Shia militias around the region that attack the allies of the Arab monarchies.

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mcfc_099 t1_iwj7isl wrote

So basically it is a Shia-Sunni dispute? What are the differences between Shia and Sunni and why is there such a divided between the two sects of Islam?

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sagitel t1_iwkqdqy wrote

There are big enough differences that sunnis see shiie as heretics and idolators and shiee see sunnis as lost and in need of guidance (but really heretics).

The conflict comes down to succession after muhammad. Sunnis believe abu bakir was the rightful heir, with Omar, uthman and ali following him as righteous kaliphs.

Shiee believe ali and his children (the exact children the believe to be heirs are different among sects) were the heirs and abu bakir, omar and uthman were all evil usurpers.

Now this seemingly small difference has created many bigger differences in laws and the way they conduct religious ceremonies.

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b1gchampions t1_iwkc7lg wrote

It essentially all boils down to who was the rightful successor of prophet Muhammad. A classic tale of my guy is better than your guy.

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ksleepwalker t1_iwj76o5 wrote

Its also because in 2014 or so there was a spat b/w Saudi Arabia and Qatar, when Saudi diplomats were called back and flights to Saudi from Qatar closed. Iran and Saudi dont see eye to eye so the whole "the enemy of my enemy" thing works there.

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