Share of each country’s news about armed violence, last 12 months
Saudi ArabiaIran
Saudi Arabia vs Iran: which is more tense right now?
This week, 15.6% of the news located in Saudi Arabia is about armed violence (#7 of 74), against 12.8% in Iran (#13). Saudi Arabia is the more tense of the two right now.
Saudi Arabia15.6%#7 · far above its usual level
Iran12.8%#13 · above its usual level
Saudi Arabia tenser than Iran30%of weeks since 2017
Both most tense8 March 2026week with the highest combined reading
Weekly average since 2017
Saudi ArabiaIran
Year by yearshare of each country’s news about armed violence
| Year | Saudi Arabia, average | Iran, average | More tense |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 10.5% | 16.0% | Iran |
| 2025 | 4.3% | 10.7% | Iran |
| 2024 | 4.8% | 17.2% | Iran |
| 2023 | 4.1% | 10.5% | Iran |
| 2022 | 6.0% | 9.3% | Iran |
| 2021 | 8.1% | 9.4% | Iran |
| 2020 | 7.4% | 11.5% | Iran |
| 2019 | 10.4% | 9.1% | Saudi Arabia |
| 2018 | 10.3% | 8.4% | Saudi Arabia |
| 2017 | 8.4% | 8.0% | Saudi Arabia |
Frequently asked questions
Is Saudi Arabia or Iran more tense right now?
Saudi Arabia is the more tense this week: 15.6% of its news is about armed violence, against 12.8% for Iran.
Which has been more tense since 2017, Saudi Arabia or Iran?
Saudi Arabia was the more tense of the two in 30% of weeks since 2017, Iran in the other 70%.
When were Saudi Arabia and Iran most tense together?
In the week to 8 March 2026: 18.9% for Saudi Arabia and 23.7% for Iran.
How is this measured?
For each country, Riftrate measures the share of the news located there that is about armed violence (war and terrorism, excluding ordinary crime), over 7 days, from the GDELT event database. It does not depend on the size of the country. It measures the news, not casualties.