Iran has warned neighbouring countries against joining what Tehran describes as a US economic war, threatening action against countries that participate in Washington's campaign to isolate the Iranian economy.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei reportedly issued the warning on state television, saying countries that impose economic restrictions on Iran would be considered enemies.

He warned that Tehran would first seek negotiations with such countries and urge them to distance themselves from Washington. However, he said Iran could target the interests of countries that refuse to change course.

Rezaei also said Iran had so far focused its attacks on US military bases rather than American economic interests. But he warned that further US sanctions could lead Iran to target American oil and economic companies in the region and elsewhere.

US President Donald Trump has meanwhile threatened severe economic consequences for countries providing what he described as a lifeline to Iran.

Iran Warns US Allies Over Sanctions As Hormuz Tensions And Regional Crisis Escalate

West Asia remains on edge as Iran and Oman move closer to finalizing a Strait of Hormuz shipping agreement while tensions continue to rise across the region. Israel has launched fresh strikes on southern Lebanon, with the IDF citing Hezbollah ceasefire violations. At the same time, Iran has reportedly warned Gulf nations that their energy infrastructure could become targets if they fail to persuade the United States to halt military action.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reportedly urged U.S. President Donald Trump to delay military action and prioritize diplomacy. Meanwhile, Washington continues to express frustration over stalled talks with Tehran, even as negotiations over maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz continue through Oman.

Iran Warns Gulf States | Israel Strikes Lebanon as Hormuz Talks Continue | West Asia Crisis

U.S. President Donald Trump has once again postponed planned military strikes on Iran, claiming that the outlines of a peace deal are taking shape. However, Tehran has categorically denied asking Washington to halt the strikes, calling the allegations false. As tensions continue to simmer, Gulf nations including Saudi Arabia are reportedly urging de-escalation, fearing the devastating consequences of a wider regional conflict.

In this exclusive interview, Chris Doyle, Director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU), analyzes the evolving crisis, Trump's repeated reversals, Iran's military strategy, the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, and the growing role of Gulf countries in preventing a full-scale regional war.

Can diplomacy still succeed, or is another military confrontation inevitable?

Watch the full analysis for the latest developments from the Middle East.

Iran-U.S. War: Trump Losing Credibility as Conflict Drags On, Expert Warns

Tensions in West Asia have surged again after Iran launched a surprise strike on a U.S. military base in Jordan, ending days of relative calm and signaling what analysts believe is a major shift in Tehran's military strategy.

Unlike previous exchanges, Iran struck first instead of waiting for another U.S. attack. Experts suggest Tehran may now prefer a controlled, low-intensity conflict over a prolonged ceasefire that leaves sanctions and economic isolation unchanged.

The conflict is also reshaping global energy markets, with rising oil prices potentially benefiting countries like Russia, while China continues to strengthen its position in global energy and diplomacy.

Meanwhile, the human cost continues to rise. Reports indicate that 16 Indian nationals, including several seafarers, have lost their lives amid the ongoing regional conflict.

Iran Launches Surprise Strike on U.S. Base in Jordan | West Asia War Escalates | US- Iran War 

The war in West Asia is entering a dangerous new phase as the conflict spreads beyond Iran and Israel, drawing more countries into the escalating crisis. Egypt has reported a drone attack near its strategic Mediterranean port of Damietta, while the United States and Saudi Arabia have jointly launched airstrikes against Iran-backed armed groups in eastern Iraq. The latest developments come after Washington resumed military strikes on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with fresh attacks across the region.

According to reports, Jordan intercepted missiles fired from Iran, while Kuwait reported that an Iranian strike hit a building belonging to a Chinese company, resulting in casualties. Meanwhile, Egypt's Damietta Port, a key energy and shipping hub, was targeted in a drone attack that damaged gas-related infrastructure, raising fresh concerns over the security of global energy supply routes.

West Asia War Expands as Egypt Hit, US-Saudi Strikes Iraq and Iran Launches Fresh Attacks

Iran has issued a fresh warning against the United Kingdom, threatening to target RAF Fairford after accusing Britain of assisting US military strikes on Iranian territory. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared that any military base used to launch attacks on Iran is now a legitimate target. The warning comes after reports that a US Air Force B-1 bomber departed from RAF Fairford, a major American forward operating base in England, fueling speculation over Britain's role in the escalating West Asia conflict.

Iran threatens UK airbase after US Strikes | RAF Fairford faces warning as Middle East war escalates

US President Donald Trump has revealed that he is close to deciding on a massive new attack against Iran, signaling a major escalation in the ongoing conflict. The United States has now carried out strikes on Iranian military targets for the 13th consecutive night, while Iran continues retaliatory attacks across the Gulf region.

As tensions rise, oil prices have crossed $100 per barrel, raising fears of a global energy shock. Trump also warned that the US would use frozen Iranian assets to compensate for damage caused to ships and cargo in the Gulf, while directly blaming Iran for Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea.

Trump preparing massive Iran strike? | Gulf war escalates, oil prices hit new highs | US- Iran War 

The Middle East conflict has entered another dangerous phase as the United States launched its 12th consecutive night of strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure. President Donald Trump declared that Iran is "not ready to make a deal," while insisting Tehran will eventually agree under mounting military pressure.

Meanwhile, Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, intensifying fears over global shipping routes and energy security. Kuwait reported intercepting hostile drones, while the US House approved a $95 billion budget package supporting operations linked to the Iran conflict. The United States and Saudi Arabia also signed a landmark civil nuclear cooperation agreement. In South America, mass protests erupted in Argentina against President Javier Milei's austerity measures, while Tesla missed Wall Street expectations despite billion-dollar profits.

US hits Iran for 12th night | Trump says Iran not ready for deal | Houthis strike Saudi tankers

The United States has carried out its eighth consecutive night of airstrikes on Iran, targeting IRGC military facilities, missile sites, coastal surveillance systems, and drone storage locations after two American service members were killed in an Iranian missile and drone attack in Jordan. The US Central Command says the strikes are aimed at degrading Iran's military capabilities. Iran's Supreme Leader has issued a fresh warning to Washington, declaring that the US will face "unforgettable lessons" if the attacks continue. Senior Iranian military officials have also warned that Tehran is prepared to launch a full-scale offensive if American strikes persist.
As tensions rise across the Middle East, Iran has reportedly targeted US military assets in Kuwait and warned Gulf nations over continued US operations. The conflict has also resulted in dozens of casualties, raising fears of a wider regional war.
Watch the latest developments in the escalating US-Iran conflict, military strikes, regional reactions, and the growing crisis in West Asia.

 US launches eighth round of strikes on Iran after deadly Jordan attack | Middle East crisis | US-Iran

The US-Iran conflict has entered a dangerous new phase as both countries exchanged heavy strikes overnight, escalating tensions across the Middle East. The United States reportedly targeted key infrastructure inside Iran, while Tehran responded with attacks on American military installations and strategic assets across the Gulf region. According to reports, Iran claimed strikes on US military facilities in Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain, while also targeting critical infrastructure linked to American operations. The conflict has also intensified around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important oil shipping routes, raising fears of a wider regional war and disruptions to global energy supplies.

US-Iran war escalates | Iran strikes US bases in gulf after American airstrikes | Strait of Hormuz 

An Indian marine engineer from Pune has been confirmed dead after a merchant vessel was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz. The victim, who had gone missing following the strike, was part of the crew aboard the GFS Galaxy. The incident comes just a day after another Indian seafarer was killed in Iranian missile attacks on UAE-linked tankers in the region. India has strongly condemned the attacks, summoned Iran's Deputy Ambassador in New Delhi, and launched a new "Seafarer First" response system, including real-time vessel tracking, to protect Indian nationals working at sea. Authorities are coordinating with Oman to bring the deceased engineer's mortal remains back to India.

Indian marine engineer killed in Strait of Hormuz attack | MEA summons Iran, envoy 

Tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate as Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claims it has launched attacks on US military facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait following a fresh wave of American airstrikes on Iranian territory. According to the IRGC, the attacks targeted the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, the Al Azraq Air Base in Jordan, and a US military logistics facility at Mina Abdullah in Kuwait. Iran has also warned that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States ends what it calls "acts of aggression." Meanwhile, US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that American fighter jets, drones, and naval forces carried out a seven-hour military operation targeting Iranian missile sites, drone infrastructure, naval assets, and coastal defense systems. The operation was aimed at reducing Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Gulf.

Iran attacks US bases in bahrain, Jordan & Kuwait | Trump warns bigger Iran strikes |  Hormuz crisis

The global artificial intelligence boom, which has powered record highs in equity markets, is now facing a fresh challenge.


 AI Boom Faces Heat From Gulf Crisis 

The Ukraine crisis may constitute a more impactful, historic watershed than the 1989 fall of the Berlin wall in the mind of Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is “perhaps even a bigger moment than the fall of the Berlin Wall,” Mr. Balakrishnan said.

“We believe we are at an inflection point,” he added. “Little Singapore is standing up for principles and expressing a hope for the rules of engagement for this new era.”

In a break with diplomatic tradition, Singapore joined Western nations in sanctioning Russia, the first Southeast Asian nation to do so in the absence of a United Nations Security Council resolution.

Mr. Balakrishnan may well be right even if the Berlin wall sparked the end of communism as an ideology rather than a power-driven political system, while Ukraine is likely to take Russia out of the race for global power in an emerging bi- or multipolar world order.

Despite the characterisation of the Ukraine crisis as one that pits democracy against autocracy and the fact that the vast majority of nations that have taken action against Russia happen to be democracies, the stakes in the crisis are really about adherence to international law irrespective of a country’s political system.

That is evident in the diddling of countries like China, India, and the United Arab Emirates that have tried to straddle a middle ground. So have Israel and Turkey, exploiting their attempts to mediate an end to the Ukraine crisis.

China has struggled to uphold its long-standing principle of rejection of the interference in the affairs of others with its close partnership with Russia that was further cemented during a visit to Beijing in early February by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed told Mr. Putin in a March 1 phone call, on the back of Emirati interference in multiple countries, including Libya and Yemen, that “Russia has a right to ensure national security.” Mr. Bin Zayed was referring to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Short of the war, the destruction, and the massive loss of life, Ukraine is in many ways similar to the Gulf crisis in which the UAE, together with Saudi Arabia, led a 3.5-year-long economic and diplomatic boycott of Qatar that, like the Russian invasion, was designed to hollow out the sovereignty of a neighbouring state.

Russia’s invasion constitutes the third time in a decade after the 2017-2021 Gulf crisis and the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea that autocratic states have sought to ignore international law and brutally impose their will on a neighbour.

In that sense, Mr. Balakrishnan’s equation of the invasion with the Berlin wall hits the nail on the head. It also suggests that failure to act immediately to stop violations of international law opens the door to ever more egregious trespassings, including massive violations of human rights.

The analogies between the Ukraine and Gulf crises are most evident in the demands put forward in both incidents.

Like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Russia has put maximalist demands on the table that would subject Ukraine to its foreign, defense, and domestic policies and bend the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to its will.

At the time, the UAE and Saudi Arabia demanded that Qatar cut its ties to Islamists, shutter the free-wheeling Al Jazeera television network, expel Turkish troops, and effectively break relations with Iran.

Similarly, Russia demands that NATO withdraw from member states on Russia’s borders and that Ukraine halt its resistance to the invasion, alter its constitution to ensure that Ukraine cannot become a member of the European Union and/or NATO, and recognise Russia's annexation of Crimea and the Russia-supported breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk.

Qatari resilience in rejecting the UAE-Saudi demands and its ability to compensate for the fallout of the boycott ultimately persuaded the two states to drop their demands and lift the embargo in January 2021.

In what appears to be a manoeuvre similar to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recognition that Ukraine is unlikely to become a NATO member and may not want to do so given NATO’s refusal to impose a no-fly zone, Qatar at the time quietly made concessions that fell far short of Emirati-Saudi demands and did not fundamentally alter the Gulf state’s policies.

Islamists, including members of the Muslim Brotherhood, were asked to relocate to Istanbul and London while Al Jazeera toned down its more critical coverage of the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Virtually absent in this week's Al Jazeera newscasts was any reporting of the execution of 81 people in the kingdom, many of them Shiite activists. However, the Al Jazeera English website did report the executions. They are believed to have prompted Iran’s suspension of Iraqi-sponsored talks with Saudi Arabia designed to reduce tensions between the two regional rivals.

The failure of the Saudi-UAE-led boycott may have shown the limits of their power, but ending it without the ability to claim success did not threaten the survival of the two countries' rulers. However, finding a face-saving solution to the Ukraine crisis that ultimately does not endanger the position of Mr. Putin could prove a lot more complicated.

The international community and Qatar were willing to give Mr. Bin Zayed and his Saudi counterpart, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a pass. That luxury is unlikely to be accorded to Mr. Putin.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

The Ukraine crisis may constitute a more impactful, historic watershed than the 1989 fall of the Berlin wall in the mind of Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

The Ukraine crisis may constitute a more impactful, historic watershed than the 1989 fall of the Berlin wall in the mind of Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is “perhaps even a bigger moment than the fall of the Berlin Wall,” Mr. Balakrishnan said. “We believe we are at an inflection point,” he added. “Little Singapore is standing up for principles and expressing a hope for the rules of engagement for this new era.” In a break with diplomatic tradition, Singapore joined Western nations in sanctioning Russia, the first Southeast Asian nation to do so in the absence of a United Nations Security Council resolution. Mr. Balakrishnan may well be right even if the Berlin wall sparked the end of communism as an ideology rather than a power-driven political system, while Ukraine is likely to take Russia out of the race for global power in an emerging bi- or multipolar world order. Despite the characterisation of the Ukraine crisis as one that pits democracy against autocracy and the fact that the vast majority of nations that have taken action against Russia happen to be democracies, the stakes in the crisis are really about adherence to international law irrespective of a country’s political system. That is evident in the diddling of countries like China, India, and the United Arab Emirates that have tried to straddle a middle ground. So have Israel and Turkey, exploiting their attempts to mediate an end to the Ukraine crisis. China has struggled to uphold its long-standing principle of rejection of the interference in the affairs of others with its close partnership with Russia that was further cemented during a visit to Beijing in early February by Russian President Vladimir Putin. UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed told Mr. Putin in a March 1 phone call, on the back of Emirati interference in multiple countries, including Libya and Yemen, that “Russia has a right to ensure national security.” Mr. Bin Zayed was referring to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Short of the war, the destruction, and the massive loss of life, Ukraine is in many ways similar to the Gulf crisis in which the UAE, together with Saudi Arabia, led a 3.5-year-long economic and diplomatic boycott of Qatar that, like the Russian invasion, was designed to hollow out the sovereignty of a neighbouring state. Russia’s invasion constitutes the third time in a decade after the 2017-2021 Gulf crisis and the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea that autocratic states have sought to ignore international law and brutally impose their will on a neighbour. In that sense, Mr. Balakrishnan’s equation of the invasion with the Berlin wall hits the nail on the head. It also suggests that failure to act immediately to stop violations of international law opens the door to ever more egregious trespassings, including massive violations of human rights. The analogies between the Ukraine and Gulf crises are most evident in the demands put forward in both incidents. Like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Russia has put maximalist demands on the table that would subject Ukraine to its foreign, defense, and domestic policies and bend the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to its will. At the time, the UAE and Saudi Arabia demanded that Qatar cut its ties to Islamists, shutter the free-wheeling Al Jazeera television network, expel Turkish troops, and effectively break relations with Iran. Similarly, Russia demands that NATO withdraw from member states on Russia’s borders and that Ukraine halt its resistance to the invasion, alter its constitution to ensure that Ukraine cannot become a member of the European Union and/or NATO, and recognise Russia's annexation of Crimea and the Russia-supported breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. Qatari resilience in rejecting the UAE-Saudi demands and its ability to compensate for the fallout of the boycott ultimately persuaded the two states to drop their demands and lift the embargo in January 2021. In what appears to be a manoeuvre similar to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recognition that Ukraine is unlikely to become a NATO member and may not want to do so given NATO’s refusal to impose a no-fly zone, Qatar at the time quietly made concessions that fell far short of Emirati-Saudi demands and did not fundamentally alter the Gulf state’s policies. Islamists, including members of the Muslim Brotherhood, were asked to relocate to Istanbul and London while Al Jazeera toned down its more critical coverage of the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Virtually absent in this week's Al Jazeera newscasts was any reporting of the execution of 81 people in the kingdom, many of them Shiite activists. However, the Al Jazeera English website did report the executions. They are believed to have prompted Iran’s suspension of Iraqi-sponsored talks with Saudi Arabia designed to reduce tensions between the two regional rivals. The failure of the Saudi-UAE-led boycott may have shown the limits of their power, but ending it without the ability to claim success did not threaten the survival of the two countries' rulers. However, finding a face-saving solution to the Ukraine crisis that ultimately does not endanger the position of Mr. Putin could prove a lot more complicated. The international community and Qatar were willing to give Mr. Bin Zayed and his Saudi counterpart, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a pass. That luxury is unlikely to be accorded to Mr. Putin. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

The Gulf crisis has lessons for Vladimir Putin. Not all may work in his favour

Qatar's three-year-old dispute with Saudi Arabia and three other Arab countries has reached a breakthrough, as per a senior Trump administration official.

The development is the latest in a series of Middle East deals sought by Washington,&nbsp;the others involving Israel and Arab states,&nbsp;aimed at building a united front against Iran.

Earlier, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Ahmad Nasser al-Sabah said that Saudi Arabia is reopening its land and sea borders with Qatar ending a diplomatic crisis in the Gulf after almost three and a half years.

Saudi state agency SPA quoted Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as saying the annual gathering of Gulf leaders would unite Gulf ranks "in the face of challenges facing the region".

Qatar's ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, will attend, the royal court said. The US&nbsp;official said the Saudi crown prince and Qatari emir would sign the deal.

Qatar's only land border has been mostly closed since mid-2017, when Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain launched a blockade against the tiny Gulf state, accusing it of supporting Islamist groups in the region and of having warm ties with Iran.&nbsp;Qatar denies it and says the embargo aims to undermine its sovereignty.

While Saudi Arabia made clear it intended to lift the blockade, the other three countries did not do so immediately, but the Trump official said: "it's our expectation" they would also join in lifting the blockade. Under the emerging agreement, Qatar will suspend lawsuits related to the blockade, the official said.

All of the countries involved in the deals are US&nbsp;allies. Qatar hosts the region’s largest US&nbsp;military base, Bahrain is home to the US&nbsp;Navy’s Fifth Fleet, and Saudi Arabia and the UAE host US&nbsp;troops.

White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, assigned to work on the dispute by US&nbsp;President Donald Trump, helped negotiate the deal and was working the phones on it until the wee hours of Monday morning, the official said.

When in December Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said a resolution to the dispute seemed within reach, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a Twitter post said he hoped Gulf reconciliation “contributes to the stability and political and economic development for all peoples of our region.”

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said in a Twitter post that Tuesday's summit would restore Gulf unity and that "more work lies ahead and we are moving in the right direction".&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
نحن أمام قمة تاريخية بامتياز في العلا نعيد من خلالها اللحمة الخليجية ونحرص عبرها أن يكون أمن وإستقرار وإزدهار دولنا وشعوبنا الأولوية الأولى، أمامنا المزيد من العمل ونحن في الإتجاه الصحيح.
— د. أنور قرقاش (@AnwarGargash) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnwarGargash/status/1346183467340599298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

On Monday, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it welcomed the move by Saudi Arabia and called it an important step towards resolving the dispute.

“Our hope is that this dispute reaches a comprehensive and lasting resolution based on mutual respect for the countries’ sovereignty and that other sanctions against the people of Qatar are lifted as soon as possible,” it said, adding that Turkey supported all efforts to bring stability to the Gulf region.

Kushner, Middle East envoy Avi Berkowitz and Brian Hook, a special State Department adviser, were flying to the Saudi Arabian city of al-Ula to attend the ceremony, the US&nbsp;official said.

If the deal holds, the Gulf dispute will be added to a string of diplomatic achievements of the Kushner team, a list that includes normalization deals last year between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.

Kushner, who is also Trump's son-in-law, has been working on more normalization deals between Israel and Arab countries but may run out of time with President-elect Joe Biden due to take over the presidency on Jan. 20.

"It's just a massive breakthrough," the US&nbsp;official said. "The blockade will be lifted. It will allow for travel amongst the countries as well as goods. It will lead to more stability in the region."

Diplomats in the region have said that Saudi Arabia was keen by pushing a deal to resolve the dispute to demonstrate to Biden that they are peacemakers and open to dialogue.

The United States has about 10,000 troops in Qatar, which is home to Al Udeid Air Base. There are thousands of more troops in the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Qatar's three-year-old dispute with Saudi Arabia and three other Arab countries has reached a breakthrough, as per a senior Trump administration official. The development is the latest in a series of Middle East deals sought by Washington, the others involving Israel and Arab states, aimed at building a united front against Iran.

Qatar's three-year-old dispute with Saudi Arabia and three other Arab countries has reached a breakthrough, as per a senior Trump administration official. The development is the latest in a series of Middle East deals sought by Washington, the others involving Israel and Arab states, aimed at building a united front against Iran. Earlier, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Ahmad Nasser al-Sabah said that Saudi Arabia is reopening its land and sea borders with Qatar ending a diplomatic crisis in the Gulf after almost three and a half years. Saudi state agency SPA quoted Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as saying the annual gathering of Gulf leaders would unite Gulf ranks "in the face of challenges facing the region". Qatar's ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, will attend, the royal court said. The US official said the Saudi crown prince and Qatari emir would sign the deal. Qatar's only land border has been mostly closed since mid-2017, when Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain launched a blockade against the tiny Gulf state, accusing it of supporting Islamist groups in the region and of having warm ties with Iran. Qatar denies it and says the embargo aims to undermine its sovereignty. While Saudi Arabia made clear it intended to lift the blockade, the other three countries did not do so immediately, but the Trump official said: "it's our expectation" they would also join in lifting the blockade. Under the emerging agreement, Qatar will suspend lawsuits related to the blockade, the official said. All of the countries involved in the deals are US allies. Qatar hosts the region’s largest US military base, Bahrain is home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, and Saudi Arabia and the UAE host US troops. White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, assigned to work on the dispute by US President Donald Trump, helped negotiate the deal and was working the phones on it until the wee hours of Monday morning, the official said. When in December Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said a resolution to the dispute seemed within reach, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a Twitter post said he hoped Gulf reconciliation “contributes to the stability and political and economic development for all peoples of our region.” UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said in a Twitter post that Tuesday's summit would restore Gulf unity and that "more work lies ahead and we are moving in the right direction". نحن أمام قمة تاريخية بامتياز في العلا نعيد من خلالها اللحمة الخليجية ونحرص عبرها أن يكون أمن وإستقرار وإزدهار دولنا وشعوبنا الأولوية الأولى، أمامنا المزيد من العمل ونحن في الإتجاه الصحيح. — د. أنور قرقاش (@AnwarGargash) January 4, 2021 × On Monday, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it welcomed the move by Saudi Arabia and called it an important step towards resolving the dispute. “Our hope is that this dispute reaches a comprehensive and lasting resolution based on mutual respect for the countries’ sovereignty and that other sanctions against the people of Qatar are lifted as soon as possible,” it said, adding that Turkey supported all efforts to bring stability to the Gulf region. Kushner, Middle East envoy Avi Berkowitz and Brian Hook, a special State Department adviser, were flying to the Saudi Arabian city of al-Ula to attend the ceremony, the US official said. If the deal holds, the Gulf dispute will be added to a string of diplomatic achievements of the Kushner team, a list that includes normalization deals last year between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco. Kushner, who is also Trump's son-in-law, has been working on more normalization deals between Israel and Arab countries but may run out of time with President-elect Joe Biden due to take over the presidency on Jan. 20. "It's just a massive breakthrough," the US official said. "The blockade will be lifted. It will allow for travel amongst the countries as well as goods. It will lead to more stability in the region." Diplomats in the region have said that Saudi Arabia was keen by pushing a deal to resolve the dispute to demonstrate to Biden that they are peacemakers and open to dialogue. The United States has about 10,000 troops in Qatar, which is home to Al Udeid Air Base. There are thousands of more troops in the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

'Breakthrough': Saudi Arabia, Qatar to sign US-brokered deal to ease Gulf crisis

The Gulf crisis which has pitted regional players against Qatar could be moving closer to resolution as the key countries prepare to meet in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

Riyadh led a coalition of countries in the Gulf and beyond in 2017 to cut ties with Doha over charges it was too close to Tehran and backed radical Islamist groups. Qatar denies the claims.

Washington has intensified pressure on the nations imposing what Qatar calls a "blockade" to resolve the crisis, insisting Gulf unity is necessary to isolate US rival Iran as the curtain falls on Donald Trump's presidency.

The row will top the agenda at Tuesday's meeting of leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council in the northwestern Saudi city of Al-Ula.

While Gulf sources say an agreement on further talks and limited confidence building measures is ready, not all of the boycotting countries have yet signed up.

The GCC is a bloc that includes boycotting countries Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, neutral Kuwait and Oman, and Qatar.

After severing ties in June 2017, the Saudi-led alliance subsequently forced out Qatari expatriate residents, closed their airspace to Qatari aircraft and sealed their borders and ports, separating some mixed-nationality families.

The boycott countries later issued a list of 13 demands for Doha, including the closure of pan-Arab satellite television channel Al Jazeera, undertakings on terror financing, and the shuttering of a Turkish military base in Qatar.

Doha has not publicly bowed to any of the demands.

- Resolution in sight? -

The White House has ramped up its rhetoric against Tehran, having walked out of an international deal to rein in Iran's nuclear programme in 2018.

US national security adviser Robert O'Brien said in November that allowing Qatari planes to fly over Saudi Arabia via an "air bridge" was a priority for the Trump administration.

In return, analysts have suggested Qatar could agree to tone down the coverage of Saudi Arabia by its media, including the Al Jazeera broadcaster.

"They will announce the interim deal with the emir most likely in attendance," said King's College London assistant professor Andreas Krieg.

"Bahrain has still not signed but all of the other blockading states have."

The country has repeatedly clashed with Qatar over the enforcement of maritime boundaries with several incidents in recent months which have seen the Qatari coastguard intercept Bahraini vessels.

It then flew four of its fighter jets over Qatar's territorial waters on December 9, Doha alleged in a letter to the United Nations Security Council.

Bahrain is acting as "a proxy," said Krieg. "While the UAE and Saudi feel pressure to fall in line of US pressure, they can use Bahrain as a disruptor to continuously show their discontent with Qatar."

Experts had warned that the UAE could be the spoiler for any regional reconciliation attempt, having heaped criticism on Qatar and its leadership since the spat erupted.

- Waiting for the emir -

Abu Dhabi's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash tweeted on December 22 that "political and social atmospheres in the Gulf are looking to end the Qatar crisis" but complained about Qatari media -- a longstanding grievance in the boycotting countries.

It also remains unclear if Qatar's ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, will attend the summit in person, having skipped the gatherings since 2017.

Earlier this month, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said a resolution of the Gulf diplomatic crisis was in sight, with all governments involved "on board" and a final agreement expected soon.

Egypt and the UAE have since given their public support to the negotiations although diplomatic sources say the UAE has been reluctant to compromise.

The potential thaw comes as Gulf states prepare for the incoming US administration of President-elect Joe Biden.

Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmed Nasser al-Mohammed Al-Sabah, whose country is leading mediation efforts, said all sides had expressed keenness for a "final agreement" during recent "fruitful discussions", which have included the United States.

Past mediation efforts to broker reconciliation between key US ally Qatar and its rivals have proved fruitless after apparent progress.

The Gulf crisis which has pitted regional players against Qatar could be moving closer to resolution as the key countries prepare to meet in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

The Gulf crisis which has pitted regional players against Qatar could be moving closer to resolution as the key countries prepare to meet in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Riyadh led a coalition of countries in the Gulf and beyond in 2017 to cut ties with Doha over charges it was too close to Tehran and backed radical Islamist groups. Qatar denies the claims. Washington has intensified pressure on the nations imposing what Qatar calls a "blockade" to resolve the crisis, insisting Gulf unity is necessary to isolate US rival Iran as the curtain falls on Donald Trump's presidency. The row will top the agenda at Tuesday's meeting of leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council in the northwestern Saudi city of Al-Ula. While Gulf sources say an agreement on further talks and limited confidence building measures is ready, not all of the boycotting countries have yet signed up. The GCC is a bloc that includes boycotting countries Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, neutral Kuwait and Oman, and Qatar. After severing ties in June 2017, the Saudi-led alliance subsequently forced out Qatari expatriate residents, closed their airspace to Qatari aircraft and sealed their borders and ports, separating some mixed-nationality families. The boycott countries later issued a list of 13 demands for Doha, including the closure of pan-Arab satellite television channel Al Jazeera, undertakings on terror financing, and the shuttering of a Turkish military base in Qatar. Doha has not publicly bowed to any of the demands. - Resolution in sight? - The White House has ramped up its rhetoric against Tehran, having walked out of an international deal to rein in Iran's nuclear programme in 2018. US national security adviser Robert O'Brien said in November that allowing Qatari planes to fly over Saudi Arabia via an "air bridge" was a priority for the Trump administration. In return, analysts have suggested Qatar could agree to tone down the coverage of Saudi Arabia by its media, including the Al Jazeera broadcaster. "They will announce the interim deal with the emir most likely in attendance," said King's College London assistant professor Andreas Krieg. "Bahrain has still not signed but all of the other blockading states have." The country has repeatedly clashed with Qatar over the enforcement of maritime boundaries with several incidents in recent months which have seen the Qatari coastguard intercept Bahraini vessels. It then flew four of its fighter jets over Qatar's territorial waters on December 9, Doha alleged in a letter to the United Nations Security Council. Bahrain is acting as "a proxy," said Krieg. "While the UAE and Saudi feel pressure to fall in line of US pressure, they can use Bahrain as a disruptor to continuously show their discontent with Qatar." Experts had warned that the UAE could be the spoiler for any regional reconciliation attempt, having heaped criticism on Qatar and its leadership since the spat erupted. - Waiting for the emir - Abu Dhabi's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash tweeted on December 22 that "political and social atmospheres in the Gulf are looking to end the Qatar crisis" but complained about Qatari media -- a longstanding grievance in the boycotting countries. It also remains unclear if Qatar's ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, will attend the summit in person, having skipped the gatherings since 2017. Earlier this month, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said a resolution of the Gulf diplomatic crisis was in sight, with all governments involved "on board" and a final agreement expected soon. Egypt and the UAE have since given their public support to the negotiations although diplomatic sources say the UAE has been reluctant to compromise. The potential thaw comes as Gulf states prepare for the incoming US administration of President-elect Joe Biden. Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmed Nasser al-Mohammed Al-Sabah, whose country is leading mediation efforts, said all sides had expressed keenness for a "final agreement" during recent "fruitful discussions", which have included the United States. Past mediation efforts to broker reconciliation between key US ally Qatar and its rivals have proved fruitless after apparent progress.

Gulf crisis resolution in balance ahead of summit

Gulf Cooperation Council summit: Will Gulf crisis come to an end?

A 3-year old Gulf crisis might finally be coming to an end. Qatar's foreign minister has said that there had been some progress to resolve the dispute, one that has pitted a regional group of nations against Doha.

WION Fineprint: Kuwait, Qatar flag movement on resolving gulf row

Qatar and Saudi Arabia are close to striking a preliminary agreement to end a dispute that has pitted the Gulf neighbours against each other for more than three years.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar near agreement in Gulf crisis

India is likely to face heat in the near future due to various emerging fault lines in the Gulf. While Gulf managed to ensure stability amidst the Syrian crisis in particular and Arab Spring in general, recent events in the Gulf cast doubt on the long term stability of the region.&nbsp;

In this context, the September 14 Drone attacks, reportedly&nbsp;carried out by Iranian backed Houthi guerrilla, on&nbsp; Saudi Arabia’s Abqaiq oil refinery and Khurais oil field - belonging to the state-owned Aramco - have sent ‘oil shock wave’ throughout the world.

The attacks disrupted the outflow of 5 per cent of global oil supply. While Saudi Arabia has repeatedly stated that this attack will not affect Saudi’s production of oil, however, it could not remove the feat that oil installation in Saudi Arabia, UAE and elsewhere is not free from external attacks.&nbsp;

This combines with other factors such as a series of attack on oil tankers belonging to different countries, UK-Iranian tension for seizing the private oil tanker caring the Iranian oil to Syria by UK, shooting down of US drone by the Iran, the traditional rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the continuous blockade of Qatar by the Quarter (Saudi Arabia, UAE, &nbsp;Egypt and Bahrain), the US sanction against Iran, and Yemen civil war with UAE-Saudi Arabia supporting the Yemini government in exile and Iranian backing the Houthis—all combined have made the region very vulnerable to the forces of destabilisation.&nbsp;

India is directly affected by such developments in the Gulf. India is the third-largest oil importer in the world and 83 per cent of its oil is imported from the Gulf despite its diversification of sources of hydrocarbon products. Of late, India has stopped buying oil from Iran under US pressure, which has made India more dependent on Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;

Besides, India is critically dependent on the flow of remittances from the region, which constitutes the largest share of total global remittances. Further stability in Gulf is important from the point of view of trade and investment, particularly with the UAE government. &nbsp;

Given the high-stake that India has in the stability of Gulf, the government of India&nbsp;must come up&nbsp;with a&nbsp;strategy to cope with the emerging crisis in the Gulf which may affect the uninterrupted supply of the oil or even soar the prices of  oil because of  above-enumerated reasons. Following the 1973 Oil Shock, which had disrupted the manufacturing industries of the West due to steep hike in the prices of oil  as well as the supply of oil for a few months, the West developed the capacity of storing oil for minimum six months. Earlier it was 23 days. Currently, India has a capacity to meet only about 12 days of the country’s crude oil requirement with storage facility for only 87 days.&nbsp;

Though in the event of the oil crisis, India may rely upon the USA and Nigeria, the quality of oil supplies by these countries are as good as that of Gulf apart from long-distance travel costs.  Given this situation, India needs to devise specific strategy including enhancing the storage capacity of hydrocarbon resources for at least 6 months, on par with advanced countries. &nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp;

&nbsp;

India is likely to face heat in the near future due to various emerging fault lines in the Gulf. While Gulf managed to ensure stability amidst the Syrian crisis in particular and Arab Spring in general, recent events in the Gulf cast doubt on the long term stability of the region.

India is likely to face heat in the near future due to various emerging fault lines in the Gulf. While Gulf managed to ensure stability amidst the Syrian crisis in particular and Arab Spring in general, recent events in the Gulf cast doubt on the long term stability of the region. In this context, the September 14 Drone attacks, reportedly carried out by Iranian backed Houthi guerrilla, on Saudi Arabia’s Abqaiq oil refinery and Khurais oil field - belonging to the state-owned Aramco - have sent ‘oil shock wave’ throughout the world. The attacks disrupted the outflow of 5 per cent of global oil supply. While Saudi Arabia has repeatedly stated that this attack will not affect Saudi’s production of oil, however, it could not remove the feat that oil installation in Saudi Arabia, UAE and elsewhere is not free from external attacks. This combines with other factors such as a series of attack on oil tankers belonging to different countries, UK-Iranian tension for seizing the private oil tanker caring the Iranian oil to Syria by UK, shooting down of US drone by the Iran, the traditional rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the continuous blockade of Qatar by the Quarter (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Bahrain), the US sanction against Iran, and Yemen civil war with UAE-Saudi Arabia supporting the Yemini government in exile and Iranian backing the Houthis—all combined have made the region very vulnerable to the forces of destabilisation. India is directly affected by such developments in the Gulf. India is the third-largest oil importer in the world and 83 per cent of its oil is imported from the Gulf despite its diversification of sources of hydrocarbon products. Of late, India has stopped buying oil from Iran under US pressure, which has made India more dependent on Saudi Arabia. Besides, India is critically dependent on the flow of remittances from the region, which constitutes the largest share of total global remittances. Further stability in Gulf is important from the point of view of trade and investment, particularly with the UAE government.  Given the high-stake that India has in the stability of Gulf, the government of India must come up with a strategy to cope with the emerging crisis in the Gulf which may affect the uninterrupted supply of the oil or even soar the prices of  oil because of  above-enumerated reasons. Following the 1973 Oil Shock, which had disrupted the manufacturing industries of the West due to steep hike in the prices of oil  as well as the supply of oil for a few months, the West developed the capacity of storing oil for minimum six months. Earlier it was 23 days. Currently, India has a capacity to meet only about 12 days of the country’s crude oil requirement with storage facility for only 87 days. Though in the event of the oil crisis, India may rely upon the USA and Nigeria, the quality of oil supplies by these countries are as good as that of Gulf apart from long-distance travel costs.  Given this situation, India needs to devise specific strategy including enhancing the storage capacity of hydrocarbon resources for at least 6 months, on par with advanced countries.  (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

How does Gulf crisis affect India

An Iranian general said on Sunday the chances of a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-will-take-third-step-to-reduce-commitments-to-2015-nuclear-deal-iran-foreign-minister-240373">conflict breaking out in the Gulf</a> region have decreased, after a spate of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-warship-commander-says-iran-trying-to-test-britain-in-gulf-239693">hostile acts </a>in the key waterway.

"At first glance, it may seem that the situation in the Persian Gulf is heading towards a military conflict but when studying the situation more deeply, we see that chances for such a conflict become less probable," said Brigadier General Ahmadreza Pourdastan.

"All countries which have interests in the region are by no means willing to see a new crisis in the Middle East," he said, quoted by Mehr news agency.

"The military capabilities of our armed forces are to such an extent that the enemies don't dare go for a military option against us.

"The Persian Gulf is like a tinderbox and explosion of the first firecracker can lead to a huge disaster," the general said.

Tensions between arch-enemies <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/iran-3-women-get-55-years-in-jail-for-defying-compulsory-hijab-240344">Iran</a> and the United States have soared this year after Washington stepped up its "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran.

Ships have been attacked, drones downed and oil tankers seized since May, after the United States withdrew from a landmark nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and reimposed biting sanctions against the country.

At the height of the crisis, US President Donald Trump called off air strikes against Iran at the last minute in June after the Islamic republic's forces shot down a US drone.

An Iranian general said on Sunday the chances of a conflict breaking out in the Gulf region have decreased, after a spate of hostile acts in the key waterway. "At first glance, it may seem that the situation in the Persian Gulf is heading towards a military conflict but when studying the situation more deeply, we see that chances for such a conflict become less probable," said Brigadier General Ahmadreza Pourdastan.

An Iranian general said on Sunday the chances of a conflict breaking out in the Gulf region have decreased, after a spate of hostile acts in the key waterway. "At first glance, it may seem that the situation in the Persian Gulf is heading towards a military conflict but when studying the situation more deeply, we see that chances for such a conflict become less probable," said Brigadier General Ahmadreza Pourdastan. "All countries which have interests in the region are by no means willing to see a new crisis in the Middle East," he said, quoted by Mehr news agency. "The military capabilities of our armed forces are to such an extent that the enemies don't dare go for a military option against us. "The Persian Gulf is like a tinderbox and explosion of the first firecracker can lead to a huge disaster," the general said. Tensions between arch-enemies Iran and the United States have soared this year after Washington stepped up its "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran. Ships have been attacked, drones downed and oil tankers seized since May, after the United States withdrew from a landmark nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and reimposed biting sanctions against the country. At the height of the crisis, US President Donald Trump called off air strikes against Iran at the last minute in June after the Islamic republic's forces shot down a US drone.

Iran general says chances of Gulf conflict decreasing

It was on the soccer pitch that 2022 World Cup host Qatar definitively shrugged off the UAE-Saudi-led economic and diplomatic boycott of the Gulf state as the crisis entered its third year with no prospect of resolution.

World soccer body FIFA’s abandonment of Saudi-United Arab Emirates-backed plans to expand the 2022 World Cup from 32 to 48 teams just days before the boycott’s June 5 second anniversary could not have come at a more opportune moment.

The FIFA decision came on the heels of Qatar’s unexpected winning of the Asian Cup and was followed by reports that the Gulf state’s sovereign wealth fund was negotiating the acquisition of British club Leeds United.

The acquisition would give Qatar a second top European team after Paris Saint-Germain and potentially take the soccer aspects of the rift to the English Premier League, home to UAE-owned Manchester City, at a time that soccer has emerged as a battlefield in the Gulf rift. So would a possible Saudi acquisition of Manchester United.

The soccer pitch has been one venue on which Qatar has been scoring points. Three years into the boycott, Qatar’s detractors – Saud Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt -- have failed to either force Qatar to accept demands that would have undermined its independence and sovereignty or convince the international community of the legitimacy of their approach.

On the contrary. Qatar is thriving economically, having with the help of Oman, Turkey and Iran compensated for the rupture in logistics caused by the breaking off of air links with its detractors and the closure of its only land border with Saudi Arabia.

Moreover, rather than being internationally isolated, Qatar has succeeded in deepening relations with the world’s major powers – the United States, China, Europe, Russia and India – and reinforced its position as a mediator or key player in conflicts ranging from Afghanistan to Gaza.

Ironically, Qatar has been able to turn the Gulf crisis into one of the few issues that the world’s rivalling powers agree on and fortify the cul de sac (dead end) in which its detractors find themselves. Washington, Beijing, Moscow, Brussels and Delhi all want the Gulf crisis resolved but have failed to convince Riyadh and Abu Dhabi that everyone would be best served by a resolution that allows all parties to save face even if it falls far short of the boycotters’ demands.

Those demands reflected a broader Saudi and UAE policy that aims to shape the greater Middle East, stretching from Central Asia to the Horn of Africa, in their mould and aims to force governments to tow a Saudi-UAE line that promotes autocracy, rejects political participation, opposes political Islam and violates human rights.

They boycotters demand that Qatar align its military, political, social and economic policies with those of other Gulf states, shutter its Al Jazeera television network and other Qatar-funded media outlets, end military cooperation with Turkey and close down Turkish military bases in the country.

In a rebuke of the boycotters who also demanded that Qatar revoke citizenship granted to political refugees from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, the Gulf state, on the third anniversary of the boycott, issued the region’s first asylum law.

The law applies explicitly to human rights defenders; journalists, writers and researchers; political, religious and ethnic minority activists; and former or current officials opposed to their government’s policies who are threatened by persecution.

To be sure, Qatar’s positioning of itself as a defender of human rights has holes in it that make it look like Emmenthaler cheese. Domestically, press freedom is non-existent. The government abruptly in May closed the Doha Centre for Media Freedom after firing its first two directors for taking the organisation’s goal literal. As free-wheeling and hard-hitting as Al Jazeera can be in its regional and international reporting, as careful it is not to cover Qatar’s warts or take reporting to wherever the chips fall when it touches on Qatari interests.

It took widespread criticism for Al Jazeera to suspend two journalists and pull a recent seven-minute, Arabic language video it posted to its social media channels that claimed Jews exploit the Holocaust and that Israel is the genocide's "greatest beneficiary."

To be fair, the network said the video "contravened its editorial standards" and mandated that all staff participate in a bias and sensitivity training.

The contradiction between Qatar’s advocacy of political change everywhere but at home is rooted on the one hand in the recognition that transition is inevitable, and that Qatar is best served by being in front of the cart rather than behind it and on the other the seemingly naïve belief that the Gulf state itself can remain immune.

And that’s what explains the crisis and the boycotting alliance’s demands.

If Saudi Arabia and the UAE strive to maintain region’s autocratic status quo to the degree possible by suppressing dissent and activism and projecting military as well as soft power, Qatar’s strategy embraces degrees of change but is wholly built on soft power.

It is a strategy that is built on diversified gas sales; maintaining relations with all parties to position Qatar as a go-to-mediator; projecting the Gulf state as a global, cutting-edge sports hub; situating Qatar as a transportation hub connecting continents with a world-class airline; turning the Gulf state into a cultural hub with dazzling museums and arts acquisitions; and investing in Western blue chips and high-profile real estate.

Alongside diplomacy, economics, media and football, gas is increasingly emerging not only as a battlefield but also as a driver of the Gulf crisis. Gas may also prove to be a gauge for the timeframe that Saudi Arabia supported by the UAE has in mind and one reason why they have so far refused to contemplate unconditional negotiations and compromise.

The significance of gas was highlighted when The Wall Street Journal recently disclosed that US officials had prevented Saudi Arabia prior to the declaration of the boycott from invading the Gulf states and seizing Qatar’s operations in the world’s largest gas field.

Taking control of Qatari fields would have not only forced Qatar, the world’s largest liquified natural gas (LNG) exporter, to effectively surrender but also turned Saudi Arabia into the world’s second-biggest exporter overnight.

If gas proves to be a major driver of the rift, then recently announced Saudi plans to become a major gas player suggest that the dispute could take at least another six years, if not a decade, to resolve.

Amin Nasser, the chief executive of Saudi national oil company Aramco said during the World Economic Forum in January that he expected $150 billion to be invested in the Saudi gas sector over the next ten years. Nasser envisioned gas production increasing from 14 billion standard cubic feet to 23 billion by 2030.

Saudi energy minister Khalid al-Falih said in April following the disclosure of recently discovered major reserves in the Red Sea that the kingdom may achieve its goal in five to six years.

In the meantime, Saudi Arabia is pushing to become a major gas trader and marketer, primarily in the spot and short-term markets, by partnering with producers across the globe, including in the Russian Artic.

The kingdom has expressed an interest in acquiring a 30 per cent stake in Russia’s Novatek Arctic LNG project. Access to the project’s gas would allow Saudi Arabia to negotiate long-term deals and/or sell cargoes on the spot market or increase domestic supply.

Aramco agreed in May to a buy a 25 per cent stake in Sempra Energy’s Texas liquefied natural gas terminal in one of the biggest gas deals ever. The deal involves a 20-year agreement under which Saudi Arabia would buy 5 million tons of gas annually from Sempra’s Port Arthur plant, due to begin operations in 2023.

Qatar has partnered with Exxon Mobil Corp. in a $10 billion LNG plant in Texas and has plans to pour a total of US$20 billion into US oil and gas fields.

The Saudi Qatari gas rivalry is also playing out elsewhere.

An Aramco delegation visited Pakistan in April to discuss gas sales as a way of addressing the South Asian country’s energy shortage as it opens its multiple gas fields to foreign investors. Qatar responded by lowering the price of its offering in a move that appeared to give it an advantage despite the kingdom’s increasingly hefty investment in Pakistan.

The prospect that Saudi Arabia and the UAE may only be willing to seek an end to the Gulf crisis once the kingdom has secured its position as a major gas exporter would mean that their boycott of Qatar would still be in place when the Gulf state hosts the World Cup in 2022.

That, more than FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s unsuccessful ploy to persuade Qatar to agree to an expansion of the 2022 tournament from 32 to 48 teams, could prove to be a potential icebreaker.

The tournament puts Qatar’s detractors in a bind. It will be the first time that the world’s foremost mega sporting event is held in the Arab world, a soccer crazy region and even more poignantly, in the boycotting Gulf states’ backyard.

Yet, the boycott bans nationals of the boycotting states from travel to Qatar. Even if fans were to defy the boycott, they would have to go to greater expense and accept more complicated logistics because of the rupture in air and land links.

As a result, boycotting states, in a bid to cater to domestic demand and stave off potential protests, could be forced to breach their own embargo and potentially create an opportunity to put an end to the boycott.

For now, that may seem a long shot and much can change in the coming three years. But if the status quo remains unchanged, soccer could emerge as the Gulf’s best hope.

&nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

It was on the soccer pitch that 2022 World Cup host Qatar definitively shrugged off the UAE-Saudi-led economic and diplomatic boycott of the Gulf state as the crisis entered its third year with no prospect of resolution.

It was on the soccer pitch that 2022 World Cup host Qatar definitively shrugged off the UAE-Saudi-led economic and diplomatic boycott of the Gulf state as the crisis entered its third year with no prospect of resolution. World soccer body FIFA’s abandonment of Saudi-United Arab Emirates-backed plans to expand the 2022 World Cup from 32 to 48 teams just days before the boycott’s June 5 second anniversary could not have come at a more opportune moment. The FIFA decision came on the heels of Qatar’s unexpected winning of the Asian Cup and was followed by reports that the Gulf state’s sovereign wealth fund was negotiating the acquisition of British club Leeds United. The acquisition would give Qatar a second top European team after Paris Saint-Germain and potentially take the soccer aspects of the rift to the English Premier League, home to UAE-owned Manchester City, at a time that soccer has emerged as a battlefield in the Gulf rift. So would a possible Saudi acquisition of Manchester United. The soccer pitch has been one venue on which Qatar has been scoring points. Three years into the boycott, Qatar’s detractors – Saud Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt -- have failed to either force Qatar to accept demands that would have undermined its independence and sovereignty or convince the international community of the legitimacy of their approach. On the contrary. Qatar is thriving economically, having with the help of Oman, Turkey and Iran compensated for the rupture in logistics caused by the breaking off of air links with its detractors and the closure of its only land border with Saudi Arabia. Moreover, rather than being internationally isolated, Qatar has succeeded in deepening relations with the world’s major powers – the United States, China, Europe, Russia and India – and reinforced its position as a mediator or key player in conflicts ranging from Afghanistan to Gaza. Ironically, Qatar has been able to turn the Gulf crisis into one of the few issues that the world’s rivalling powers agree on and fortify the cul de sac (dead end) in which its detractors find themselves. Washington, Beijing, Moscow, Brussels and Delhi all want the Gulf crisis resolved but have failed to convince Riyadh and Abu Dhabi that everyone would be best served by a resolution that allows all parties to save face even if it falls far short of the boycotters’ demands. Those demands reflected a broader Saudi and UAE policy that aims to shape the greater Middle East, stretching from Central Asia to the Horn of Africa, in their mould and aims to force governments to tow a Saudi-UAE line that promotes autocracy, rejects political participation, opposes political Islam and violates human rights. They boycotters demand that Qatar align its military, political, social and economic policies with those of other Gulf states, shutter its Al Jazeera television network and other Qatar-funded media outlets, end military cooperation with Turkey and close down Turkish military bases in the country. In a rebuke of the boycotters who also demanded that Qatar revoke citizenship granted to political refugees from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, the Gulf state, on the third anniversary of the boycott, issued the region’s first asylum law. The law applies explicitly to human rights defenders; journalists, writers and researchers; political, religious and ethnic minority activists; and former or current officials opposed to their government’s policies who are threatened by persecution. To be sure, Qatar’s positioning of itself as a defender of human rights has holes in it that make it look like Emmenthaler cheese. Domestically, press freedom is non-existent. The government abruptly in May closed the Doha Centre for Media Freedom after firing its first two directors for taking the organisation’s goal literal. As free-wheeling and hard-hitting as Al Jazeera can be in its regional and international reporting, as careful it is not to cover Qatar’s warts or take reporting to wherever the chips fall when it touches on Qatari interests. It took widespread criticism for Al Jazeera to suspend two journalists and pull a recent seven-minute, Arabic language video it posted to its social media channels that claimed Jews exploit the Holocaust and that Israel is the genocide's "greatest beneficiary." To be fair, the network said the video "contravened its editorial standards" and mandated that all staff participate in a bias and sensitivity training. The contradiction between Qatar’s advocacy of political change everywhere but at home is rooted on the one hand in the recognition that transition is inevitable, and that Qatar is best served by being in front of the cart rather than behind it and on the other the seemingly naïve belief that the Gulf state itself can remain immune. And that’s what explains the crisis and the boycotting alliance’s demands. If Saudi Arabia and the UAE strive to maintain region’s autocratic status quo to the degree possible by suppressing dissent and activism and projecting military as well as soft power, Qatar’s strategy embraces degrees of change but is wholly built on soft power. It is a strategy that is built on diversified gas sales; maintaining relations with all parties to position Qatar as a go-to-mediator; projecting the Gulf state as a global, cutting-edge sports hub; situating Qatar as a transportation hub connecting continents with a world-class airline; turning the Gulf state into a cultural hub with dazzling museums and arts acquisitions; and investing in Western blue chips and high-profile real estate. Alongside diplomacy, economics, media and football, gas is increasingly emerging not only as a battlefield but also as a driver of the Gulf crisis. Gas may also prove to be a gauge for the timeframe that Saudi Arabia supported by the UAE has in mind and one reason why they have so far refused to contemplate unconditional negotiations and compromise. The significance of gas was highlighted when The Wall Street Journal recently disclosed that US officials had prevented Saudi Arabia prior to the declaration of the boycott from invading the Gulf states and seizing Qatar’s operations in the world’s largest gas field. Taking control of Qatari fields would have not only forced Qatar, the world’s largest liquified natural gas (LNG) exporter, to effectively surrender but also turned Saudi Arabia into the world’s second-biggest exporter overnight. If gas proves to be a major driver of the rift, then recently announced Saudi plans to become a major gas player suggest that the dispute could take at least another six years, if not a decade, to resolve. Amin Nasser, the chief executive of Saudi national oil company Aramco said during the World Economic Forum in January that he expected $150 billion to be invested in the Saudi gas sector over the next ten years. Nasser envisioned gas production increasing from 14 billion standard cubic feet to 23 billion by 2030. Saudi energy minister Khalid al-Falih said in April following the disclosure of recently discovered major reserves in the Red Sea that the kingdom may achieve its goal in five to six years. In the meantime, Saudi Arabia is pushing to become a major gas trader and marketer, primarily in the spot and short-term markets, by partnering with producers across the globe, including in the Russian Artic. The kingdom has expressed an interest in acquiring a 30 per cent stake in Russia’s Novatek Arctic LNG project. Access to the project’s gas would allow Saudi Arabia to negotiate long-term deals and/or sell cargoes on the spot market or increase domestic supply. Aramco agreed in May to a buy a 25 per cent stake in Sempra Energy’s Texas liquefied natural gas terminal in one of the biggest gas deals ever. The deal involves a 20-year agreement under which Saudi Arabia would buy 5 million tons of gas annually from Sempra’s Port Arthur plant, due to begin operations in 2023. Qatar has partnered with Exxon Mobil Corp. in a $10 billion LNG plant in Texas and has plans to pour a total of US$20 billion into US oil and gas fields. The Saudi Qatari gas rivalry is also playing out elsewhere. An Aramco delegation visited Pakistan in April to discuss gas sales as a way of addressing the South Asian country’s energy shortage as it opens its multiple gas fields to foreign investors. Qatar responded by lowering the price of its offering in a move that appeared to give it an advantage despite the kingdom’s increasingly hefty investment in Pakistan. The prospect that Saudi Arabia and the UAE may only be willing to seek an end to the Gulf crisis once the kingdom has secured its position as a major gas exporter would mean that their boycott of Qatar would still be in place when the Gulf state hosts the World Cup in 2022. That, more than FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s unsuccessful ploy to persuade Qatar to agree to an expansion of the 2022 tournament from 32 to 48 teams, could prove to be a potential icebreaker. The tournament puts Qatar’s detractors in a bind. It will be the first time that the world’s foremost mega sporting event is held in the Arab world, a soccer crazy region and even more poignantly, in the boycotting Gulf states’ backyard. Yet, the boycott bans nationals of the boycotting states from travel to Qatar. Even if fans were to defy the boycott, they would have to go to greater expense and accept more complicated logistics because of the rupture in air and land links. As a result, boycotting states, in a bid to cater to domestic demand and stave off potential protests, could be forced to breach their own embargo and potentially create an opportunity to put an end to the boycott. For now, that may seem a long shot and much can change in the coming three years. But if the status quo remains unchanged, soccer could emerge as the Gulf’s best hope. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Soccer emerges as a potential icebreaker in the Gulf crisis

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/qatar-to-withdraw-from-opec-as-of-jauary-2019-minister-181096">Qatar</a> said on Saturday it remained committed to the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-hosts-gcc-summit-amid-qatar-tensions-khashoggi-crisis-182600">Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)</a> but the bloc needed to enforce its own rules better, signalling a reformed alliance could help end a row between Doha and some of its neighbours.

Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said Qatar was still counting on Kuwait and other regional powers to help solve the row that has seen Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and non-GCC member Egypt impose a political and economic boycott on Doha since June 2017.

"We believe that we are more relevant as a bloc" for the West than as separate and fragmented countries, he told the annual Doha Forum but said the GCC had "no teeth" and needed a dispute resolution mechanism.

"They have mechanisms in place and never trigger them (to hold people accountable) because some countries believe they are non-binding, so we need to make sure all the rules we are submitting to are binding to everyone in this region."

The four states accuse Qatar of supporting terrorism and cosying up to regional foe Iran. Doha denies the charges and says the boycott aims to curtail its sovereignty.

The dispute has eluded mediation efforts by Kuwait, which along with Oman is a part of the GCC, and the United States, which believes Gulf unity is essential to containing Iran.

In a sign the dispute still festered, Qatar's emir did not attend an annual Gulf summit on Sunday. Doha earlier announced it was quitting OPEC to focus on gas in a move seen as a shot at the oil exporter club's de facto ruler Saudi Arabia.

"In the Gulf crisis, our position remains unchanged - lifting the blockade and settling the differences via dialogue," Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani told the forum.

Possible EU help

The boycotting states say the dispute is not a priority and insist Qatar meet a list of demands submitted to it at the start of the crisis that includes closing Al Jazeera TV, reducing ties with Tehran and closing a Turkish military base in Qatar.

Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Muslim Iran are locked in several proxy wars in the Middle East, while Turkey's ties with the kingdom have been strained by the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdom's Istanbul consulate.

Foreign ministers from Iran and Turkey, which both supported Qatar in the row, are attending the two-day forum.

Romania's foreign minister, Teodor-Viorel Meleşcanu, told the gathering that Romania, which takes the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU from January for the next six months, was working on organising a conference that could help solve the Gulf rift.

"We are thinking about a joint event for the EU and Arab countries and we would like to have a direct discussion with the GCC countries. We hope to hold it in April and in principle, it would take place in Bucharest," he later told Reuters.

It was not clear yet whether the EU would endorse the conference.

Bahrain's foreign minister said on Saturday there was no need for mediation as the solution lay in Doha's hands.

"It is not our crisis, it is Qatar's crisis. So there is no need for a mediator to solve it, what it needs is for a wise person from its (Qatar's) people," Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa tweeted.

Qatar said on Saturday it remained committed to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) but the bloc needed to enforce its own rules better, signalling a reformed alliance could help end a row between Doha and some of its neighbours.

Qatar said on Saturday it remained committed to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) but the bloc needed to enforce its own rules better, signalling a reformed alliance could help end a row between Doha and some of its neighbours. Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said Qatar was still counting on Kuwait and other regional powers to help solve the row that has seen Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and non-GCC member Egypt impose a political and economic boycott on Doha since June 2017. "We believe that we are more relevant as a bloc" for the West than as separate and fragmented countries, he told the annual Doha Forum but said the GCC had "no teeth" and needed a dispute resolution mechanism. "They have mechanisms in place and never trigger them (to hold people accountable) because some countries believe they are non-binding, so we need to make sure all the rules we are submitting to are binding to everyone in this region." The four states accuse Qatar of supporting terrorism and cosying up to regional foe Iran. Doha denies the charges and says the boycott aims to curtail its sovereignty. The dispute has eluded mediation efforts by Kuwait, which along with Oman is a part of the GCC, and the United States, which believes Gulf unity is essential to containing Iran. In a sign the dispute still festered, Qatar's emir did not attend an annual Gulf summit on Sunday. Doha earlier announced it was quitting OPEC to focus on gas in a move seen as a shot at the oil exporter club's de facto ruler Saudi Arabia. "In the Gulf crisis, our position remains unchanged - lifting the blockade and settling the differences via dialogue," Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani told the forum. Possible EU help The boycotting states say the dispute is not a priority and insist Qatar meet a list of demands submitted to it at the start of the crisis that includes closing Al Jazeera TV, reducing ties with Tehran and closing a Turkish military base in Qatar. Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Muslim Iran are locked in several proxy wars in the Middle East, while Turkey's ties with the kingdom have been strained by the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdom's Istanbul consulate. Foreign ministers from Iran and Turkey, which both supported Qatar in the row, are attending the two-day forum. Romania's foreign minister, Teodor-Viorel Meleşcanu, told the gathering that Romania, which takes the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU from January for the next six months, was working on organising a conference that could help solve the Gulf rift. "We are thinking about a joint event for the EU and Arab countries and we would like to have a direct discussion with the GCC countries. We hope to hold it in April and in principle, it would take place in Bucharest," he later told Reuters. It was not clear yet whether the EU would endorse the conference. Bahrain's foreign minister said on Saturday there was no need for mediation as the solution lay in Doha's hands. "It is not our crisis, it is Qatar's crisis. So there is no need for a mediator to solve it, what it needs is for a wise person from its (Qatar's) people," Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa tweeted.

Qatar says Gulf Arab bloc needs reform to give it teeth

Qatar has ordered shops to remove goods originating from a group of Saudi Arabian-led countries which a year ago imposed a wide-ranging boycott on the emirate, Doha officials said Saturday.&nbsp

A directive from the economy ministry ordered shops to immediately strip shelves of products from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt.

Inspectors will visit stores to ensure they comply with the order, the ministry said.

The government will also try and stop products such as Saudi dairy goods from entering Qatar via a third country.

Qatar's Government Communications Office (GCO) said it was trying to "protect the safety of consumers".

"Products originating from blockading states, which as a result of the blockade cannot pass the GCC customs territory, has to undergo proper import inspections and customs procedures," the GCO said in a statement.&nbsp

"Qatar conducts its trade policy in accordance with all of its multilateral and bilateral agreements."

The order comes just days before the anniversary of a bitter Gulf crisis.

Since June 5 last year, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt have cut all relations with Qatar, accusing it of financing terrorist groups and having close ties with Iran.

The countries subsequently imposed a trade and diplomatic boycott on Qatar, which rejects the charges and says the countries are seeking regime change in Doha.

The row has forced isolated Qatar, which previously relied on its Gulf neighbours, to look elsewhere for food imports, including Turkey, Morocco and Iran.&nbsp

Many such imports enter the country via ports such as Kuwait and Oman.

It is through these ports, and also via individuals, that goods from the boycotting countries manage to get in to Qatar, said a source with knowledge of the situation.

"Businessmen from the blockading countries are trying to go around the blockade... by using third parties," said the source. &nbspQatar has ordered shops to remove goods originating from a group of Saudi Arabian-led countries which a year ago imposed a wide-ranging boycott on the emirate, Doha officials said Saturday.&nbsp

A directive from the economy ministry ordered shops to immediately strip shelves of products from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt.

Inspectors will visit stores to ensure they comply with the order, the ministry said.

The government will also try and stop products such as Saudi dairy goods from entering Qatar via a third country.

Qatar's Government Communications Office (GCO) said it was trying to "protect the safety of consumers".

"Products originating from blockading states, which as a result of the blockade cannot pass the GCC customs territory, has to undergo proper import inspections and customs procedures," the GCO said in a statement.&nbsp

"Qatar conducts its trade policy in accordance with all of its multilateral and bilateral agreements."

The order comes just days before the anniversary of a bitter Gulf crisis.

Since June 5 last year, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt have cut all relations with Qatar, accusing it of financing terrorist groups and having close ties with Iran.

The countries subsequently imposed a trade and diplomatic boycott on Qatar, which rejects the charges and says the countries are seeking regime change in Doha.

The row has forced isolated Qatar, which previously relied on its Gulf neighbours, to look elsewhere for food imports, including Turkey, Morocco and Iran.&nbsp

Many such imports enter the country via ports such as Kuwait and Oman.

It is through these ports, and also via individuals, that goods from the boycotting countries manage to get into Qatar, said a source with knowledge of the situation.

"Businessmen from the blockading countries are trying to go around the blockade... by using third parties," said the source. &nbsp

A directive from the economy ministry ordered shops to immediately strip shelves of products from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt

Qatar has ordered shops to remove goods originating from a group of Saudi Arabian-led countries which a year ago imposed a wide-ranging boycott on the emirate, Doha officials said Saturday. A directive from the economy ministry ordered shops to immediately strip shelves of products from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt. Inspectors will visit stores to ensure they comply with the order, the ministry said. The government will also try and stop products such as Saudi dairy goods from entering Qatar via a third country. Qatar's Government Communications Office (GCO) said it was trying to "protect the safety of consumers". "Products originating from blockading states, which as a result of the blockade cannot pass the GCC customs territory, has to undergo proper import inspections and customs procedures," the GCO said in a statement. "Qatar conducts its trade policy in accordance with all of its multilateral and bilateral agreements." The order comes just days before the anniversary of a bitter Gulf crisis. Since June 5 last year, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt have cut all relations with Qatar, accusing it of financing terrorist groups and having close ties with Iran. The countries subsequently imposed a trade and diplomatic boycott on Qatar, which rejects the charges and says the countries are seeking regime change in Doha. The row has forced isolated Qatar, which previously relied on its Gulf neighbours, to look elsewhere for food imports, including Turkey, Morocco and Iran. Many such imports enter the country via ports such as Kuwait and Oman. It is through these ports, and also via individuals, that goods from the boycotting countries manage to get in to Qatar, said a source with knowledge of the situation. "Businessmen from the blockading countries are trying to go around the blockade... by using third parties," said the source. &nbspQatar has ordered shops to remove goods originating from a group of Saudi Arabian-led countries which a year ago imposed a wide-ranging boycott on the emirate, Doha officials said Saturday. A directive from the economy ministry ordered shops to immediately strip shelves of products from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt. Inspectors will visit stores to ensure they comply with the order, the ministry said. The government will also try and stop products such as Saudi dairy goods from entering Qatar via a third country. Qatar's Government Communications Office (GCO) said it was trying to "protect the safety of consumers". "Products originating from blockading states, which as a result of the blockade cannot pass the GCC customs territory, has to undergo proper import inspections and customs procedures," the GCO said in a statement. "Qatar conducts its trade policy in accordance with all of its multilateral and bilateral agreements." The order comes just days before the anniversary of a bitter Gulf crisis. Since June 5 last year, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt have cut all relations with Qatar, accusing it of financing terrorist groups and having close ties with Iran. The countries subsequently imposed a trade and diplomatic boycott on Qatar, which rejects the charges and says the countries are seeking regime change in Doha. The row has forced isolated Qatar, which previously relied on its Gulf neighbours, to look elsewhere for food imports, including Turkey, Morocco and Iran. Many such imports enter the country via ports such as Kuwait and Oman. It is through these ports, and also via individuals, that goods from the boycotting countries manage to get into Qatar, said a source with knowledge of the situation. "Businessmen from the blockading countries are trying to go around the blockade... by using third parties," said the source.

Qatar bans Saudi, UAE goods from stores

Egypt&#39;s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Monday his government would keep up a blockade of Qatar by four Arab states over charges it supports terrorism, in defiance of international efforts to end the crisis.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic and travel ties with Qatar in June, accusing it of supporting Islamist militants in the worst crisis among Arab states in years, a charge that Doha denies.

&quot;Egypt will stand by its decision and will not backtrack on this matter,&quot; Sisi said at a youth conference in Alexandria. &quot;Our persistence on its own, our stance, and this block, is pressure in itself.&quot;

Qatar&#39;s ruling emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani said on Friday he was ready for dialogue, but any solution must respect Qatar&#39;s sovereignty. Kuwait has sought to mediate and the United States and Germany have urged dialogue.

Turkey&#39;s President Tayyip Erdogan left Qatar on Monday after two days in the Gulf trying to mediate in the dispute, but there was no sign the Turkish leader had made any progress.

The four Arab states want Qatar to reduce ties with their arch-foe Iran, close down a Turkish military base and shut the Al Jazeera TV channel, which they view as critical. Turkey and Qatar are backers of the Muslim Brotherhood movement that has challenged entrenched Arab rulers.

'Egypt will stand by its decision and will not backtrack on this matter,' Sisi said at a youth conference in Alexandria

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Monday his government would keep up a blockade of Qatar by four Arab states over charges it supports terrorism, in defiance of international efforts to end the crisis. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic and travel ties with Qatar in June, accusing it of supporting Islamist militants in the worst crisis among Arab states in years, a charge that Doha denies. "Egypt will stand by its decision and will not backtrack on this matter," Sisi said at a youth conference in Alexandria. "Our persistence on its own, our stance, and this block, is pressure in itself." Qatar's ruling emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani said on Friday he was ready for dialogue, but any solution must respect Qatar's sovereignty. Kuwait has sought to mediate and the United States and Germany have urged dialogue. Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan left Qatar on Monday after two days in the Gulf trying to mediate in the dispute, but there was no sign the Turkish leader had made any progress. The four Arab states want Qatar to reduce ties with their arch-foe Iran, close down a Turkish military base and shut the Al Jazeera TV channel, which they view as critical. Turkey and Qatar are backers of the Muslim Brotherhood movement that has challenged entrenched Arab rulers.

Egypt's Sisi vows to keep up Qatar blockade

The United Arab Emirates, one of four Arab countries that have imposed sanctions on Qatar, said on Saturday that Doha needed to change its policies before a dialogue could take place.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with Qatar and imposed an economic boycott last month, accusing it of financing extremist groups and supporting terrorism, charges Doha has repeatedly denied.

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said a call for dialogue by Qatar&#39;s emir Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad al-Thani was welcome, but this could only happen after Doha had made changes.

He did not specify these, but the four countries involved have issued more than a dozen demands, telling Qatar to close down Al Jazeera television, curb relations with Iran and shut down a Turkish military base.

&quot;Dialogue is necessary and needed but its backbone has to be revision,&quot; Gargash said on his Twitter account.

He expressed disappointment with a speech by Sheikh Tamim on Friday, the first the emir had given since the start of the crisis.

&quot;I had hoped that the speech of Sheikh Tamim would be an initiative for revision,&quot; Gargash said.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, an ally of Qatar, will visit Saudia Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar during a two-day mediation trip that begins on Sunday.

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said a call for dialogue by Qatar's emir Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad al-Thani was welcome, but this could only happen after Doha had made changes

The United Arab Emirates, one of four Arab countries that have imposed sanctions on Qatar, said on Saturday that Doha needed to change its policies before a dialogue could take place. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with Qatar and imposed an economic boycott last month, accusing it of financing extremist groups and supporting terrorism, charges Doha has repeatedly denied. UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said a call for dialogue by Qatar's emir Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad al-Thani was welcome, but this could only happen after Doha had made changes. He did not specify these, but the four countries involved have issued more than a dozen demands, telling Qatar to close down Al Jazeera television, curb relations with Iran and shut down a Turkish military base. "Dialogue is necessary and needed but its backbone has to be revision," Gargash said on his Twitter account. He expressed disappointment with a speech by Sheikh Tamim on Friday, the first the emir had given since the start of the crisis. "I had hoped that the speech of Sheikh Tamim would be an initiative for revision," Gargash said. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, an ally of Qatar, will visit Saudia Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar during a two-day mediation trip that begins on Sunday.

No dialogue with Qatar until it revises policies: UAE

Qatar&#39;s foreign minister called for &quot;dialogue&quot; on Wednesday to resolve the Gulf diplomatic crisis, accusing Arab states that have cut ties with Qatar of trying to undermine the nation&#39;s sovereignty.

&quot;Qatar continues to call for dialogue,&quot; Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani told the Chatham House think tank in London, as the Arab states held talks in Egypt to discuss their next move.

&quot;We welcome any serious efforts to resolve our differences with our neighbours,&quot; he said, adding: &quot;We don&#39;t accept intervention in our own affairs&quot;.

He accused Saudi Arabia and its regional allies of &quot;demanding that we must surrender our sovereignty as the price for ending the siege&quot;.

A group of Arab states led by Saudi Arabia has severed air, sea and ground links with Qatar, cutting off vital routes for imports including food. They also ordered Qatari citizens to leave their territories and took various steps against Qatari firms and financial institutions.

The crisis has raised concerns of growing instability in the region, home to some of the world&#39;s largest energy exporters and key Western allies who host US military bases.

Energy-rich Qatar has been defiant throughout the crisis, insisting it can weather action taken against it.&nbsp;

Its foreign minister accused Saudi Arabia and its allies of demanding that 'we must surrender our sovereignty as the price for ending the siege'

Qatar's foreign minister called for "dialogue" on Wednesday to resolve the Gulf diplomatic crisis, accusing Arab states that have cut ties with Qatar of trying to undermine the nation's sovereignty. "Qatar continues to call for dialogue," Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani told the Chatham House think tank in London, as the Arab states held talks in Egypt to discuss their next move. "We welcome any serious efforts to resolve our differences with our neighbours," he said, adding: "We don't accept intervention in our own affairs". He accused Saudi Arabia and its regional allies of "demanding that we must surrender our sovereignty as the price for ending the siege". A group of Arab states led by Saudi Arabia has severed air, sea and ground links with Qatar, cutting off vital routes for imports including food. They also ordered Qatari citizens to leave their territories and took various steps against Qatari firms and financial institutions. The crisis has raised concerns of growing instability in the region, home to some of the world's largest energy exporters and key Western allies who host US military bases. Energy-rich Qatar has been defiant throughout the crisis, insisting it can weather action taken against it.

Qatar calls for 'dialogue' to resolve Gulf crisis

This is the worst diplomatic crisis in the Gulf region in decades.

On June 5, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt decided to break off ties with Qatar, accusing the Gulf state of supporting terrorism and of destabilising the whole region.

Qatar had fired the opening shot by what seemed to be open criticism of the Saudi-led and US-assisted anti-Iran alliance &nbsp;pushed by Donald Trump after his visit to Riyadh on May 21.

On May 24, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the ruler of Qatar, allegedly criticised the US-Saudi move and described Iran as an &ldquo;Islamic power&rdquo;. The Qatar News Agency quoted the emir as saying, &ldquo;There is no wisdom in harbouring hostility towards Iran&rdquo;. This infuriated Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Qatar then questioned the veracity of the comments and said its news agency was hacked. Nevertheless, the diplomatic rift been deepening, culminating in the current crisis.

Not the first diplomatic imbroglio

This is not the first time that Qatar, a thumb-shaped emirate of the size of the US state of Connecticut, has become embroiled a diplomatic imbroglio with its Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) partners Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

These three Gulf Arab states withdrew their ambassadors from Qatar&rsquo;s capital Doha in early 2014, on the pretext that the country had links to the Muslim Brotherhood and gave refuge to its leaders after the fall of Egypt&rsquo;s first democratically elected government in July 2013.

Saudi Arabia declared the Muslim Brotherhood, which it views as an alternative source of authority that&rsquo;s opposed to hereditary monarchical rule, a terrorist organisation in early March 2014.

But the current crisis is much more serious than the 2014 diplomatic spat, which was resolved after eight months, with Saudi, Emirati and Bahraini ambassadors returning to Doha in November of the same year on the condition that Qatar would never allow the Muslim Brotherhood to operate from its territory.

Iran in the centre

Unlike the 2014 crisis, the current Qatari&ndash;Saudi rift is not just an intra-GCC falling out, as it involves Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s regional rival Iran.

Qatar is seen by the Saudi government and its Emirati and Bahraini counterparts as a spoiler of efforts to forge a unified Arab&ndash;Muslim position, undergirded by the Trump administration, against Iran&rsquo;s so-called &ldquo;terrorist agenda&rdquo; in Arab countries.

A week before US President Donald Trump visited Riyadh to consolidate the anti-Iran alliance, the Saudi Arabic-language daily newspaper Okaz reported a secret meeting between the Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad Bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, who was officially visiting Baghdad at the time, and the Iranian Quds Force Commander Qasim Sulaimani.

The newspaper accused Qatar of exiting &ldquo;early from the Arab-Islamic consensus&rdquo; on Iran, adding &ldquo;its defence of the Iranian terrorist regime shows the secret Doha-Tehran alliance intends to strike at Arab and Islamic solidarity.&rdquo;

All of this while Qatar signed the anti-Iran Riyadh Declaration issued after the Arab-Islamic-America summit on May 21 2017.

But why would Qatar, a country that hosts the largest US air force base in the Middle East (Al-Udeid), veer off the Saudi-led GCC military and diplomatic track?

Gulf watchers know that Qatar is suspicious of Saudi goals under the GCC umbrella, and it wants an independent foreign policy, free from Saudi or Iranian influence.

Qatar hardly sees Saudi Arabia as a harmless neighbour. Tensions in Saudi-Qatar relations started right after the former emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khaifa Al Thani (1995 &ndash; 2013) came to power via a bloodless coup in 1995 by overthrowing his father Sheikh Khalifa Bin Hamad Al Thani. Sheikh Khalifa was visiting Saudi Arabia at the time, which embarrassed the Saudi government.

Sheikh Hamad&rsquo;s takeover in 1995 was preceded by a Saudi attack on a Qatari border security post in September 1992, in violation of a mutual defence treaty the two states had signed in 1982.

Riyadh also thwarted Qatari initiatives to export liquefied gas to other GCC member states in the 1990s. Emir Sheikh Hamad began to pull Qatar out of the Saudi shadow, a policy that Emir Sheikh Tamim is also pursuing.

Qatari satellite news channel Al Jazeera occasionally broadcasts programs criticising Saudi Arabia and, much to the anger of Riyadh, it hosted Saudi dissidents in a popular talk show in June 2002.

The incident led to Saudi Arabia recalling its ambassador from Doha in September 2002. Full diplomatic relations between the two countries were restored five years later, in September 2007, on Qatari assurance that Al Jazeera would refrain from broadcasting anti-Saudi programs.

A big push in the region

At the same time, Qatar, with the massive amount of oil and gas-generated income in its coffers (US$191 billion GDP in 2012), has been pushing for a bigger foreign policy and diplomatic profile in the region.

Doha successfully mediated a series of conflicts in the 2000s. It broke the political impasse in Lebanon by persuading the Sunni-led Lebanese government and the opposition Hezbollah to sign the May 2008 Doha Agreement; it mediated the conflict between the Yemeni government and Houthis in February 2008 (though it failed subsequently to find a permanent solution to the conflict); and, in February 2010, it facilitated a ceasefire agreement between the Sudanese government and the opposition Justice and Equality Movement.

<figure><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dhg5iQ2az94?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440"></iframe>

<figcaption>
&nbsp;
</figcaption>
</figure>

These successful mediations brought the tiny country enviable diplomatic plaudits from home and abroad.

In 2011, to the surprise of many regional states, the Qatar military participated in the NATO-led intervention to dislodge the Gaddafi government in Libya. It wanted to achieve a similar goal in Syria &ndash; to topple the Bashar Al-Assad government &ndash; but did not succeed primarily due to Iranian and Russian opposition.

Despite being an autocracy, Qatar presented itself as a frontline Arab state for politically transforming the Arab world, under the rubric of the Arab Spring movements.

Its objective was to strengthen Qatari national security and foreign policy autonomy in the Gulf region, a neighbourhood dominated by giants such as Iran and Saudi Arabia.

What next?

Nonetheless, the diplomatic spat with Saudi Arabia does not bode well for Qatar. The Saudi-led diplomatic offensive has isolated it from the rest of GCC and the Middle East region by cutting off air, land and sea routes to Doha.

Doha has been accused again of supporting regional terror groups &ndash; al-Qaeda and ISIL in Iraq and Syria - and cooperating with Iran.

Qatar has always denied funding extremist groups, but the small country has been accused in the last few years of allowing terrorist financiers &nbsp;to operate within its territory with impunity.

The Qatari government has also pledged support for Hamas, the Palestinian group regarded as a liberation force against Israeli occupation by most Muslim countries, but as a terrorist organisation by the United States, Israel, Egypt and Canada.

Qatar can expect no serious help from Iran either, as any possible Iranian political or diplomatic help runs the risk of further embittering Saudi-Qatar relations and permanently subject Doha to Saudi wrath.

The Trump administration is definitely not on Qatar&rsquo;s side, as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, speaking in Australia, indirectly hoped to resolve the intra-GCC irritants and put Qatar back in the Saudi-driven GCC orbit.

Cracks in the Saudi-Qatar relationship would undercut the joint Arab-US fight against regional terror and extremist groups. It&rsquo;s difficult to say how long Qatar would be in the position to resist the Saudi diplomatic offensive.

But backing down from the fight with Riyadh looks set to produce two outcomes. First, Doha would be obliged to downgrade its support to rebel groups in Syria, linked to either Muslim Brotherhood or al-Qaeda. And second, it must be willing to shed some degree of its foreign policy autonomy to participate in the Saudi-led offensive against Iran.

<img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/78894/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" width="1" />In either case, Qatar has undermined the anti-Iran alliance, giving Tehran more time to reassess the situation and consider its options.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/saudi-rift-with-qatar-exposes-growing-division-in-the-anti-iran-alliance-78894">original article</a>.

This is the worst diplomatic crisis in the Gulf region in decades.

This is the worst diplomatic crisis in the Gulf region in decades. On June 5, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt decided to break off ties with Qatar, accusing the Gulf state of supporting terrorism and of destabilising the whole region. Qatar had fired the opening shot by what seemed to be open criticism of the Saudi-led and US-assisted anti-Iran alliance pushed by Donald Trump after his visit to Riyadh on May 21. On May 24, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the ruler of Qatar, allegedly criticised the US-Saudi move and described Iran as an “Islamic power”. The Qatar News Agency quoted the emir as saying, “There is no wisdom in harbouring hostility towards Iran”. This infuriated Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Qatar then questioned the veracity of the comments and said its news agency was hacked. Nevertheless, the diplomatic rift been deepening, culminating in the current crisis. Not the first diplomatic imbroglio This is not the first time that Qatar, a thumb-shaped emirate of the size of the US state of Connecticut, has become embroiled a diplomatic imbroglio with its Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) partners Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. These three Gulf Arab states withdrew their ambassadors from Qatar’s capital Doha in early 2014, on the pretext that the country had links to the Muslim Brotherhood and gave refuge to its leaders after the fall of Egypt’s first democratically elected government in July 2013. Saudi Arabia declared the Muslim Brotherhood, which it views as an alternative source of authority that’s opposed to hereditary monarchical rule, a terrorist organisation in early March 2014. But the current crisis is much more serious than the 2014 diplomatic spat, which was resolved after eight months, with Saudi, Emirati and Bahraini ambassadors returning to Doha in November of the same year on the condition that Qatar would never allow the Muslim Brotherhood to operate from its territory. Iran in the centre Unlike the 2014 crisis, the current Qatari–Saudi rift is not just an intra-GCC falling out, as it involves Saudi Arabia’s regional rival Iran. Qatar is seen by the Saudi government and its Emirati and Bahraini counterparts as a spoiler of efforts to forge a unified Arab–Muslim position, undergirded by the Trump administration, against Iran’s so-called “terrorist agenda” in Arab countries. A week before US President Donald Trump visited Riyadh to consolidate the anti-Iran alliance, the Saudi Arabic-language daily newspaper Okaz reported a secret meeting between the Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad Bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, who was officially visiting Baghdad at the time, and the Iranian Quds Force Commander Qasim Sulaimani. The newspaper accused Qatar of exiting “early from the Arab-Islamic consensus” on Iran, adding “its defence of the Iranian terrorist regime shows the secret Doha-Tehran alliance intends to strike at Arab and Islamic solidarity.” All of this while Qatar signed the anti-Iran Riyadh Declaration issued after the Arab-Islamic-America summit on May 21 2017. But why would Qatar, a country that hosts the largest US air force base in the Middle East (Al-Udeid), veer off the Saudi-led GCC military and diplomatic track? Gulf watchers know that Qatar is suspicious of Saudi goals under the GCC umbrella, and it wants an independent foreign policy, free from Saudi or Iranian influence. Qatar hardly sees Saudi Arabia as a harmless neighbour. Tensions in Saudi-Qatar relations started right after the former emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khaifa Al Thani (1995 – 2013) came to power via a bloodless coup in 1995 by overthrowing his father Sheikh Khalifa Bin Hamad Al Thani. Sheikh Khalifa was visiting Saudi Arabia at the time, which embarrassed the Saudi government. Sheikh Hamad’s takeover in 1995 was preceded by a Saudi attack on a Qatari border security post in September 1992, in violation of a mutual defence treaty the two states had signed in 1982. Riyadh also thwarted Qatari initiatives to export liquefied gas to other GCC member states in the 1990s. Emir Sheikh Hamad began to pull Qatar out of the Saudi shadow, a policy that Emir Sheikh Tamim is also pursuing. Qatari satellite news channel Al Jazeera occasionally broadcasts programs criticising Saudi Arabia and, much to the anger of Riyadh, it hosted Saudi dissidents in a popular talk show in June 2002. The incident led to Saudi Arabia recalling its ambassador from Doha in September 2002. Full diplomatic relations between the two countries were restored five years later, in September 2007, on Qatari assurance that Al Jazeera would refrain from broadcasting anti-Saudi programs. A big push in the region At the same time, Qatar, with the massive amount of oil and gas-generated income in its coffers (US$191 billion GDP in 2012), has been pushing for a bigger foreign policy and diplomatic profile in the region. Doha successfully mediated a series of conflicts in the 2000s. It broke the political impasse in Lebanon by persuading the Sunni-led Lebanese government and the opposition Hezbollah to sign the May 2008 Doha Agreement; it mediated the conflict between the Yemeni government and Houthis in February 2008 (though it failed subsequently to find a permanent solution to the conflict); and, in February 2010, it facilitated a ceasefire agreement between the Sudanese government and the opposition Justice and Equality Movement. These successful mediations brought the tiny country enviable diplomatic plaudits from home and abroad. In 2011, to the surprise of many regional states, the Qatar military participated in the NATO-led intervention to dislodge the Gaddafi government in Libya. It wanted to achieve a similar goal in Syria – to topple the Bashar Al-Assad government – but did not succeed primarily due to Iranian and Russian opposition. Despite being an autocracy, Qatar presented itself as a frontline Arab state for politically transforming the Arab world, under the rubric of the Arab Spring movements. Its objective was to strengthen Qatari national security and foreign policy autonomy in the Gulf region, a neighbourhood dominated by giants such as Iran and Saudi Arabia. What next? Nonetheless, the diplomatic spat with Saudi Arabia does not bode well for Qatar. The Saudi-led diplomatic offensive has isolated it from the rest of GCC and the Middle East region by cutting off air, land and sea routes to Doha. Doha has been accused again of supporting regional terror groups – al-Qaeda and ISIL in Iraq and Syria - and cooperating with Iran. Qatar has always denied funding extremist groups, but the small country has been accused in the last few years of allowing terrorist financiers to operate within its territory with impunity. The Qatari government has also pledged support for Hamas, the Palestinian group regarded as a liberation force against Israeli occupation by most Muslim countries, but as a terrorist organisation by the United States, Israel, Egypt and Canada. Qatar can expect no serious help from Iran either, as any possible Iranian political or diplomatic help runs the risk of further embittering Saudi-Qatar relations and permanently subject Doha to Saudi wrath. The Trump administration is definitely not on Qatar’s side, as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, speaking in Australia, indirectly hoped to resolve the intra-GCC irritants and put Qatar back in the Saudi-driven GCC orbit. Cracks in the Saudi-Qatar relationship would undercut the joint Arab-US fight against regional terror and extremist groups. It’s difficult to say how long Qatar would be in the position to resist the Saudi diplomatic offensive. But backing down from the fight with Riyadh looks set to produce two outcomes. First, Doha would be obliged to downgrade its support to rebel groups in Syria, linked to either Muslim Brotherhood or al-Qaeda. And second, it must be willing to shed some degree of its foreign policy autonomy to participate in the Saudi-led offensive against Iran. In either case, Qatar has undermined the anti-Iran alliance, giving Tehran more time to reassess the situation and consider its options. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Saudi rift with Qatar exposes growing division in the anti-Iran alliance

US President Donald Trump offered on Wednesday to help resolve a worsening diplomatic crisis between Qatar and other Arab powers as the United Arab Emirates invoked the possibility of an economic embargo on Doha over its alleged support of terrorism.

In his second intervention in the row in as many days, Trump urged action against terrorism in a call with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, a White House statement said.

&quot;The President offered to help the parties resolve their differences, including through a meeting at the White House if necessary,&quot; it said.

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain severed diplomatic ties with Qatar on Monday over long-standing allegations that Doha is courting Iran, which they deem the region&#39;s biggest external threat, and supporting Islamist groups, seen as the biggest internal danger.

The four countries also cut transport links to tiny gas-rich Qatar, disrupting food and other supplies and deepening uncertainty about the future of trade and investment ties.

In a sign of economic damage from the dispute, Standard &amp; Poor&#39;s downgraded Qatar&#39;s&nbsp;debt on Wednesday as the country&#39;s riyal currency fell to an 11-year low amid signs that portfolio investment funds were flowing out because of the rift.

S&amp;P cut its long-term rating of Qatar by one notch to AA- from AA and put the rating on CreditWatch with negative implications, meaning there was a significant chance of a further downgrade.

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash told Reuters there would be more economic curbs on Qatar if necessary and said Doha needed to make ironclad commitments to change what critics say is a policy on funding Islamist militants.

He later told France 24 television that any further steps could take the form of &quot;a sort of embargo on Qatar&quot;.

Regional tensions

Reiterating comments by Gulf officials, Gargash told Reuters there was no plan to seek a change in Qatar&#39;s leadership, only a change in its policies.

Regional tensions, already high following the diplomatic dispute, ratcheted up further after militants attacked targets in Tehran on Wednesday, killing at least 12 people.

Iran blamed arch-foe Saudi Arabia for the attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State militant group. Riyadh denied any involvement.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Gulf states could resolve a row with Qatar among themselves without outside help.

&quot;We have not asked for mediation, we believe this issue can be dealt with among the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council,&quot; he told a news conference with his German counterpart during a visit to Berlin that was broadcast on Saudi state television.

Jubeir declined to confirm a list of 10 demands published by Al Jazeera, which included shutting down the Doha-based news channel, but added that Qatar knew what it needed to do to restore normal relations.

Meanwhile Kuwait&#39;s ruler Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah continued a regional effort to mediate the crisis, shuttling from the UAE en route to Qatar on Wednesday evening, a Kuwaiti diplomat told Reuters.

But efforts to defuse the worst crisis among Gulf Arabs for two decades showed no immediate progress.

The UAE threatened anyone publishing expressions of sympathy towards Doha with up to 15 years in prison and barring entry to Qataris.

Turkish support

Qatar has backed Islamist movements but vehemently denies supporting terrorism. It drew some support on&nbsp;Wednesday when Turkey&#39;s parliament approved a draft bill allowing its troops to be deployed to a military base in Qatar. Turkish exporters have also pledged to provide food and water to Qatar if needed.

Trump&#39;s defence secretary, James Mattis, spoke to his Qatari counterpart to express commitment to the Gulf region&#39;s security. Qatar hosts 8,000 U.S. military personnel at al Udeid, the largest U.S. air base in the Middle East and a launchpad for U.S.-led strikes on Islamic State jihadists.

The sudden isolation has spurred Qatar to hold talks with Turkey, Iran and others to secure food and water supplies, said a Qatari official. He said there were enough grain supplies for four weeks and Qatar also had large strategic food reserves.

Abu Dhabi port authorities in the UAE have eased curbs on non-Qatari oil tankers going to and from Qatar, according to industry sources and shipping circulars seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

Bans on Doha&#39;s fleet using regional ports and anchorages are threatening to halt some of its exports and disrupt those of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

UAE-based newspaper Gulf News and pan-Arab channel Al-Arabiya reported the crackdown on expressions of sympathy with Qatar.

&quot;Strict and firm action will be taken against anyone who shows sympathy or any form of bias towards Qatar, or against anyone who objects to the position of the United Arab Emirates, whether it be through the means of social media, or any type of written, visual or verbal form,&quot; Gulf News quoted UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi as saying.

On top of a possible jail term, offenders could also be hit with a fine of at least 500,000 dirhams ($136,000), the newspaper said, citing a statement to Arabic-language media.

Slogans against and in support of Qatar have dominated Twitter in Arabic. Newspapers and television channels in the region have also been engaged in a war of words.

UAE airlines Etihad and Emirates said all travellers holding Qatari passports were currently prohibited from travelling to or transiting through the emirates.

They announced details of the restrictions after Australian carrier and Emirates partner Qantas Airways &lt;QAN.AX&gt; said it would not fly Qataris to Dubai because of the bans.

Foreigners residing in Qatar in possession of a Qatari residence visa would also not be eligible for visas on arrival in the UAE, an Etihad spokesman said in an email.

Gargash, the UAE minister, told Reuters in an interview it would be very complex to disentangle the &quot;very diverse&quot; business ties between Qatar and its neighbours but suggested this might be necessary.

&quot;You cannot rule out further measures. We hope that cooler heads will prevail, that wiser heads will prevail and we will not get to that.&quot;

&quot;Tensions are still high and mediation efforts by fellow Gulf Cooperation Council state Kuwait have yet to lead to a concrete solution, so investors will likely remain on edge,&quot; said one Dubai-based trader. 
 
(Reuters)

Trump urged action against terrorism in a call with Qatari Emir Sheikh QHamad al Thani

US President Donald Trump offered on Wednesday to help resolve a worsening diplomatic crisis between Qatar and other Arab powers as the United Arab Emirates invoked the possibility of an economic embargo on Doha over its alleged support of terrorism. In his second intervention in the row in as many days, Trump urged action against terrorism in a call with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, a White House statement said. "The President offered to help the parties resolve their differences, including through a meeting at the White House if necessary," it said. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain severed diplomatic ties with Qatar on Monday over long-standing allegations that Doha is courting Iran, which they deem the region's biggest external threat, and supporting Islamist groups, seen as the biggest internal danger. The four countries also cut transport links to tiny gas-rich Qatar, disrupting food and other supplies and deepening uncertainty about the future of trade and investment ties. In a sign of economic damage from the dispute, Standard & Poor's downgraded Qatar's debt on Wednesday as the country's riyal currency fell to an 11-year low amid signs that portfolio investment funds were flowing out because of the rift. S&P cut its long-term rating of Qatar by one notch to AA- from AA and put the rating on CreditWatch with negative implications, meaning there was a significant chance of a further downgrade. UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash told Reuters there would be more economic curbs on Qatar if necessary and said Doha needed to make ironclad commitments to change what critics say is a policy on funding Islamist militants. He later told France 24 television that any further steps could take the form of "a sort of embargo on Qatar". Regional tensions Reiterating comments by Gulf officials, Gargash told Reuters there was no plan to seek a change in Qatar's leadership, only a change in its policies. Regional tensions, already high following the diplomatic dispute, ratcheted up further after militants attacked targets in Tehran on Wednesday, killing at least 12 people. Iran blamed arch-foe Saudi Arabia for the attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State militant group. Riyadh denied any involvement. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Gulf states could resolve a row with Qatar among themselves without outside help. "We have not asked for mediation, we believe this issue can be dealt with among the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council," he told a news conference with his German counterpart during a visit to Berlin that was broadcast on Saudi state television. Jubeir declined to confirm a list of 10 demands published by Al Jazeera, which included shutting down the Doha-based news channel, but added that Qatar knew what it needed to do to restore normal relations. Meanwhile Kuwait's ruler Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah continued a regional effort to mediate the crisis, shuttling from the UAE en route to Qatar on Wednesday evening, a Kuwaiti diplomat told Reuters. But efforts to defuse the worst crisis among Gulf Arabs for two decades showed no immediate progress. The UAE threatened anyone publishing expressions of sympathy towards Doha with up to 15 years in prison and barring entry to Qataris. Turkish support Qatar has backed Islamist movements but vehemently denies supporting terrorism. It drew some support on Wednesday when Turkey's parliament approved a draft bill allowing its troops to be deployed to a military base in Qatar. Turkish exporters have also pledged to provide food and water to Qatar if needed. Trump's defence secretary, James Mattis, spoke to his Qatari counterpart to express commitment to the Gulf region's security. Qatar hosts 8,000 U.S. military personnel at al Udeid, the largest U.S. air base in the Middle East and a launchpad for U.S.-led strikes on Islamic State jihadists. The sudden isolation has spurred Qatar to hold talks with Turkey, Iran and others to secure food and water supplies, said a Qatari official. He said there were enough grain supplies for four weeks and Qatar also had large strategic food reserves. Abu Dhabi port authorities in the UAE have eased curbs on non-Qatari oil tankers going to and from Qatar, according to industry sources and shipping circulars seen by Reuters on Wednesday. Bans on Doha's fleet using regional ports and anchorages are threatening to halt some of its exports and disrupt those of liquefied natural gas (LNG). UAE-based newspaper Gulf News and pan-Arab channel Al-Arabiya reported the crackdown on expressions of sympathy with Qatar. "Strict and firm action will be taken against anyone who shows sympathy or any form of bias towards Qatar, or against anyone who objects to the position of the United Arab Emirates, whether it be through the means of social media, or any type of written, visual or verbal form," Gulf News quoted UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi as saying. On top of a possible jail term, offenders could also be hit with a fine of at least 500,000 dirhams ($136,000), the newspaper said, citing a statement to Arabic-language media. Slogans against and in support of Qatar have dominated Twitter in Arabic. Newspapers and television channels in the region have also been engaged in a war of words. UAE airlines Etihad and Emirates said all travellers holding Qatari passports were currently prohibited from travelling to or transiting through the emirates. They announced details of the restrictions after Australian carrier and Emirates partner Qantas Airways <QAN.AX> said it would not fly Qataris to Dubai because of the bans. Foreigners residing in Qatar in possession of a Qatari residence visa would also not be eligible for visas on arrival in the UAE, an Etihad spokesman said in an email. Gargash, the UAE minister, told Reuters in an interview it would be very complex to disentangle the "very diverse" business ties between Qatar and its neighbours but suggested this might be necessary. "You cannot rule out further measures. We hope that cooler heads will prevail, that wiser heads will prevail and we will not get to that." "Tensions are still high and mediation efforts by fellow Gulf Cooperation Council state Kuwait have yet to lead to a concrete solution, so investors will likely remain on edge," said one Dubai-based trader. (Reuters)

Trump offers to help resolve Gulf crisis, UAE tightens squeeze on Qatar

gulf-crisis

Gulf Crisis, News on Gulf Crisis, stories on Gulf Crisis, articles on Gulf Crisis, Gulf Crisis stories at Wion, Gulf Crisis news, Gulf Crisis latest news

gulf crisis