Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict
Beginning with the rule of King Saud in 1932, Saudi Arabia has claimed to be the Muslim representative involving the Sunni Wahhabi ideology, initiated by the state, and being the guard of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Iran, on the other hand, has been affiliated with Shia Islam and declared to be the protector of Islam during the 1979 Iranian Revolution, when Khomeini seized power of the country; this marked the beginning of the proxy conflict as it undermined Saudi Arabia's image as leader of the Muslim World. Another important event in 1979 was the seizure of the Grand Mosque of Mecca, where extremist insurgents protested against westernization of the monarchy and called for the overthrow of the house of Saud. Though the state captured them, the monarchy took over their demands for stricter Islamization policies to re-establish its Islamic legitimacy. Before 1979, Iran and Saudi Arabia managed cordial ties. However, these relations were not without tensions.