The images of the past year have been deeply unsettling for the people of Saudi Arabia , long accustomed to oil-fueled prosperity and regional clout: militants firing at communities along the country’s southern border; protesters storming the Saudi Embassy in Tehran ; civil wars raging in three nearby states. The view from Riyadh has become increasingly bleak as stubbornly low oil prices constrain the government’s ability to respond to crises and as the kingdom’s regional rival, Iran , moves aggressively to expand its influence at Saudi Arabia’s expense.