Saudi Arabia's Security in Multipolarity: Situational Diplomacy and Deterrence Strategy

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Assistant Professor of Political Science, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran.

10.22124/wp.2026.31740.3589

Abstract

With the changing balance of global power and the international system moving towards a multipolar order, Saudi Arabia is seeking a balanced strategy to maintain and strengthen its national security. The main question of the research is how has situational diplomacy been able to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s deterrence and management of security threats in a multipolar order? The research hypothesis states that diversifying strategic relations with major powers including the United States, China, and Russia and playing a role in regional mediations has increased deterrence and reduced Saudi Arabia’s security vulnerability. The theoretical framework of the study is based on neorealism and hedging theory. The research method is qualitative case analysis, while quantitative data such as military budget, trade statistics, and security indicators are used to strengthen the evidence and validity of the results. The findings show that situational diplomacy has reduced dependence on a dominant power and strengthened Saudi Arabia’s position in managing regional crises. However, this strategy faces challenges including great power competition, instability of regional agreements, and geopolitical shifts.

Keywords

World Politics

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 30 June 2026

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