Causes of the Saudi-Algerian cool relationships

Algeria’s position which refuses to join the initiative of “Islamic Arab Alliance”, which is led by Saudi Arabia, and receiving (Algeria) at the same time the Iranian Vice President, Ishaq Jahangiri, sparked the interpretations and readings about the background of such decision, and whether this was an indication of the new trend in Algeria’s foreign policy.

Algerian position is the focus of attention of many Arab and Western diplomacies and media, like the reading that was given to it by the website “Monde Afrique”, which is owned by the French journalist, Nicolas Beau, who worked for many leading French newspapers, like “Le Monde” and “Liberation”.

“Monde Afrique” spoke about the differences between Algeria and Saudi Arabia, because of the divergent positions of the two countries about dealing with a number of Arab and regional issues, which was the reason for Algeria’s refusal to join the alliance that was formed by Riyadh to combat ISIS, then Iran tried to exploit this situation quickly in order to expand its influence in North Africa.

Among the points of contention between the two countries, the military intervention that is led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen, and Algeria’s refusal to engage in it, because of the provisions of the Algerian Constitution, which prohibits the military intervention outside the territorial boundaries of the country.

Algeria’s position of the Yemeni crisis was not a precedent, but it is a continuation of previous positions, such as its successful efforts to thwart attempts by foreign military intervention in Libya after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, and its refusal to cope with the repeated French calls for military intervention in northern Mali.

Algerian conservative position towards the military intervention that is led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen, as well as dealing with the Syrian crisis caused a state of attraction for the Iranian party towards a state that has its political and strategic weight in the Arab region, because Teheran openly supports a faction in the Yemeni crisis, which is represented by the “Houthis” who are facing the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen.

Algeria’s rejection of the logic of “mobilization and militarization” in the Syrian issue attracted the attention of the Iranian side which is also involved to its ears in the Syrian crisis, noting that Riyadh’s position was contrary to Algeria’s position towards the Libyan crisis in the reign in the era of the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, a as well as the issue of Western Sahara.

Most prominent problem between Algeria and Riyadh remains the Saudi position at the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), refusing to look for any way that may push toward the increasing of the oil prices, which passes through the withdrawal of excess supply of this sensitive energetic product, which controls the destiny of Algeria Finance, which introduced it in a crisis, that is similar to those experienced by about more than two decades ago, noting that Tehran is one of the states that are largely affected from OPEC decisions.