The Background to the Saudi Arabia and Iran tensions - Middle East

BBC News: Reports on the background of the tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the article notes the following, " Iran and Saudi Arabia are on opposing sides of a more than 1,000-year old argument at the heart of Islam - between Sunnis and Shia.

After the death of the Prophet Muhammad, his followers split over who was his rightful heir.

It is important not to overstate the division. Sunnis and Shia share fundamental beliefs, and have co-existed for centuries - the animosity between Iran and Saudi Arabia is better understood in terms of a power struggle in the Middle East and beyond. "

Lets Get Real:

It does seem from a secular view dopey to have such an argument go on for one thousand years, but then if you look at the decline of religion in the West and the harmful aspects that has produced in different areas, single parent families, poverty, etc, some old fashioned religion might be good for Western values.   The power of Saudi Arabia and Iran to cause economic problems has gone down since the 1970s, the West has produced its own oil, the UK has the North Sea.  That is not say a major war between the two powers would not cause problems, the oil from the Gulf could be cut, thus more a problem for the EU than the UK.   One expects the US will try to calm the tensions in the area, after the nuclear deal the OVAL does not want a regional war.