The article deals with the situation of the Shiite minority in Saudi Arabia. The relevance of studying the problem of interfaith relations in Saudi Arabia is due to the specifics of the development of domestic and foreign policy of the kingdom. Sunni-Shia relations influence the political dynamics of the Middle East both at the country level and at the level of interstate relations. The author pays special attention to the historical aspect, analyzing the roots of the Shia-Wahhabi conflict and the position of the Shia community in the social and political system of Saudi Arabia. The current situation is considered in the context of the development of Iranian-Saudi relations, ongoing regional processes, as well as transformations of the political course and internal reforms of Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia; Shia Islam; Sunni Islam; Wahhabism; Sunni- Shia relations; “Shia issue”.