Qatar–Saudi Arabia diplomatic conflict

{{Short description|Diplomatic issue between Qatar and Saudi Arabia}}

{{Infobox military conflict|main

| conflict = Qatar–Saudi Arabia diplomatic conflict

| partof = the Arab Spring, Arab Winter, and the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict

| image = Qatar diplomatic crisis.svg

| image_size = 330px

| caption = {{Leftlegend|green|Qatar (center)}}

{{Leftlegend|red|Countries which have cut off diplomatic ties with Qatar during the Qatar diplomatic crisis}}

{{Leftlegend|#ff9a9a|Countries which reduced diplomatic ties with or recalled ambassadors from Qatar during Qatar diplomatic crisis}}

{{Leftlegend|black|Libya. UN/Qatar-backed first and second government opposed by UAE/Egypt-backed government.}}

| date = 2002 – present

| place = Middle East and North Africa, especially Bahrain (from January–March 2011), Egypt (prior to 2013), Yemen (until 2017), Syria and Libya (until 2020).

| status = No official relations between Arab League countries and GCC members Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain (during part of 2014 and 2017–18); Egypt, Jordan, Comoros, Mauritania, and Yemen (2017–2018). Qatar and the GCC-Egyptian quartet backing rival sides in the Syrian Civil War (map) (2011–present) and Libyan Civil War (map) (2014–2020)

{{Collapsible list

| titlestyle=background-color:transparent; text-align:left;

| title=Arab Spring proxy conflicts

| 2011 Tunisian Revolution sparks Arab Spring. Saudi-led interventions in Bahrain (2011) and Yemen (2015), KSA/UAE-backed military coup in Egypt (2013).

|Tunisia: Qatari news outlet Al Jazeera supports the successful ouster of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who flees to Saudi Arabia in January 2011 Tunisian Revolution. Tunisia transitions to a democracy.{{Clarify|reason=how the perceived editorial-stance of a news outlet relates to this proxy conflict|date=January 2021}}

|Egypt: Al Jazeera's landmark moment is the widespread coverage of the January–February 2011 Egyptian Revolution against President Hosni Mubarak. The next year, pro-Qatar, Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Mohamed Morsi is democratically-elected president, but is overthrown the next year by a 2013 Egyptian coup d'état supported by the KSA and UAE. Under General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Egypt has been a staunch supporter of the KSA and UAE.{{cite news|title=Mohamed Morsi ousted in Egypt's second revolution in two years |author1=Kingsley, P. |author2=Chulov, M. |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/03/mohamed-morsi-egypt-second-revolution |newspaper=The Guardian |date=3 July 2013 |access-date=3 July 2013 |location=London |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730110206/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/03/mohamed-morsi-egypt-second-revolution |archive-date=30 July 2013 }}

|Bahrain: A civil uprising of the majority Shia against the Sunni monarchy, covered widely by Al Jazeera, is crushed by Saudi-led intervention on 14 March 2011. Bahrain becomes extremely pro-KSA afterwards.

|Libya: Leader Muammar Gaddafi killed following 2011 revolution which saw Qatari and other military intervention on the side of the revolutionary National Transitional Council. Since the civil war escalated in 2014, the KSA/UAE and Qatar have supported rival factions in Libya.{{cite web|title=UAE, Saudi Arabia aiding Libya eastern forces, blacklisting Qatar for alleged support for other Libyans|url=https://www.libyaobserver.ly/opinions/uae-saudi-arabia-aiding-libya-eastern-forces-blacklisting-qatar-alleged-support-other|publisher=The Libya Observer|access-date=13 June 2017}}

|Yemen: Al Jazeera coverage of 2011-2012 protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh lead to brief mediation by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), until Saleh refuses to resign and briefly goes to KSA for medical care. Saleh is ousted in the Yemeni Revolution in 2012, but reemerges to support the 2014-2015 Houthi takeover in Yemen. Qatar supports the 2015 Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen against the Houthis and Saleh, but is forced by the KSA to withdraw from the conflict in 2017.{{cite web|url=https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2017/06/05/Arab-coalition-suspends-Qatar-s-participation-in-Yemen.html|title=Arab coalition suspends Qatar's participation in Yemen|publisher=Al Arabiya English|date=5 June 2017|access-date=20 August 2017}}

|Syria: Qatar is the main supporter of the initial peaceful protests against President Bashar al-Assad, alongside Turkey. In 2012, Saudi Arabia involves itself in the resulting civil war as Qatari and Turkish influence grows among the rebels and Assad becomes more dependant on Iran. The KSA and Qatar back rival rebels, benefitting the Assad axis and what in 2014 becomes the Islamic State. In 2015, increased Saudi-Qatari coordination following Salman of Saudi Arabia's ascension to the throne leads to Russian military intervention on Assad's behalf. In 2023, Saudi Arabia and Syria normalized relations. Saudi Arabia supports the Syrian government against Qatari-backed rebels.

}}

| combatants_header = Main parties post-Arab Spring

| combatant1 = {{flag|Qatar}}

{{flag|Turkey}}{{cite news|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2017/06/implications-qatar-turkey-alliance-170618110726262.html|title=The implications of the Qatar-Turkey alliance|date=18 June 2017|access-date=18 June 2017}}

{{flagicon image|Flag of the Muslim Brotherhood.png}} Muslim Brotherhood

{{flagicon image|Flag of the Muslim Brotherhood.png}} Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt
{{flagicon image|Flag of the Muslim Brotherhood.png}} Syrian Muslim Brotherhood

{{Collapsible list

| titlestyle=background-color:transparent; text-align:left;

| title= Support

| {{flag|Iran}}van der Veer P. and Munshi S. (eds.) [https://books.google.com/books?id=pAm_YptXTPMC&dq=jamaat+e+islami&pg=PA153 Media, War, and Crisis: Responses from the Middle East and Asia.] Psychology Press, 2004, p. 138. {{ISBN|9780415331401}}.

}}

| combatant2 = {{flag|Saudi Arabia}}

{{flag|United Arab Emirates}} (from 2013)

{{flag|Bahrain}} (from 2011)

{{flag|Egypt}} (from 2013)

{{Flagicon|Libya}} Libyan HoR (from 2014){{Ref label|Somaliland|c}}

{{Collapsible list

| titlestyle=background-color:transparent; text-align:left;

| title= Support

| {{flag country|Ba'athist Syria}} (2023-2024){{Cite news|url=https://english.alarabiya.net/News/saudi-arabia/2023/05/19/Saudi-Arabia-s-Crown-Prince-meets-Syria-s-al-Assad-in-Jeddah|title=Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince meets Syria's al-Assad in Jeddah|publisher=Al Arabiya|date=19 May 2023|access-date=23 May 2023}}{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/then-now-how-arab-states-changed-course-syria-2023-05-19/ | title=Factbox: Then and now: How Arab states changed course on Syria | newspaper=Reuters | date=19 May 2023 }}

| {{flag|Jordan}} (2017–2018)

| {{flag|Yemen}} (2017–2018){{Ref label|Yemen|a}}

| {{flag|Djibouti}} (2017–2018)

| {{flag|Comoros}} (2017–2018)

| {{flag|Mauritania}} (2017–2018)

| {{flag|Chad}} (June 2017 – Feb 2018)

| {{flag|Somaliland}} (2016–2018){{Ref label|Somaliland|c}}

| {{flag|Maldives}}

| {{flag|Senegal}} (June–Aug 2017)

| {{flag|Niger}}

| {{flag|Gabon}}

}}

| commander1 = {{flagdeco|Qatar}} Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani

| commander2 = {{flagdeco|Saudi Arabia}} Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud

| notes = {{Collapsible list

| titlestyle=background-color:transparent; text-align:left;

| title=Notes:

|{{Note label|Yemen|a}} The GCC coalition supporting the Aden-based government expelled Qatar in 2017.

|{{Note label|Libya|b}} The GNA government achieved widespread international recognition after it was formed in January 2016, replacing the National Salvation Government.{{Cite web|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-libya-security-politics-idUKKCN0X22MD|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160406025336/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-libya-security-politics-idUKKCN0X22MD|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 April 2016|title=Libya's self-declared National Salvation government stepping down|first=Ahmed|last=Elumami|date=5 April 2016|via=uk.reuters.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2018/02/libya-army-spokesman-egypt-unite-elections-hifter.html|title=Can Cairo talks succeed in uniting Libya's divided armed forces?|first=George|last=Mikhail|date=15 February 2018|website=Al-Monitor}}

|{{Note label|Somaliland|c}} Government is unrecognized by the international community.

|{{Note label|AQ|d}} HTS's predecessor (the Al-Nusra Front) and ISIL's predecessor (ISI) were allied al-Qaeda branches until April 2013. An ISI-proposed merger of the two into ISIL was rejected by the Al-Nusra Front and al-Qaeda cut all affiliation with ISIL in February 2014.

|{{Note label|conquest|e}} Syrian Liberation Front and Tahrir al-Sham's predecessor, the Al-Nusra Front, were allied under the Army of Conquest from March 2015 to January 2017.}}

}}

The Qatar–Saudi Arabia diplomatic conflict refers to the temporary struggle for regional influence between Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), both of which are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It is sometimes called the New Arab Cold War.{{cite news|last=Ryan|first=Curtis|access-date=10 March 2022|publisher= Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP)|url=https://merip.org/2012/03/the-new-arab-cold-war-and-the-struggle-for-syria/|title=The New Arab Cold War and the Struggle for Syria|date=March 2012}}{{cite news|url= https://foreignpolicy.com/2014/08/28/the-new-arab-cold-war/|last=Cook, Stokes, and Brock|first=Steven, Jacob and Alexander|publisher=Foreign Policy|access-date=10 March 2022|title= The New Arab Cold War|date=August 28, 2014}}{{cite journal |last1=VALBJØRN|first1=MORTEN|last2=BANK|first2=ANDRÉ|date=1 August 2011|title= The New Arab Cold War: rediscovering the Arab dimension of Middle East regional politics|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/review-of-international-studies/article/abs/new-arab-cold-war-rediscovering-the-arab-dimension-of-middle-east-regional-politics/840DCD44A998440DC553253CBB9DC6E4|journal=Review of International Studies, Cambridge University|volume=38|issue=1|pages=3–24|doi=10.1017/S0260210511000283|s2cid=13884775 |access-date=10 March 2022}} Bilateral relations have been especially strained since the beginning of the Arab Spring,{{cite news|last1=Mohyeldin|first1=Ayman|title=Qatar and Its Neighbors Have Been At Odds Since the Arab Spring|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/mideast/qatar-its-neighbors-have-been-odds-arab-spring-n768966|access-date=7 June 2017|agency=NBC News|date=6 June 2017}} that left a power vacuum both states sought to fill, with Qatar being supportive of the revolutionary wave and Saudi Arabia opposing it. Both states are allies of the United States, and have avoided direct conflict with one another.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/05/world/middleeast/qatar-saudi-arabia-egypt-bahrain-united-arab-emirates.html|title=5 Arab Nations Move to Isolate Qatar, Putting the U.S. in a Bind|date=5 June 2017|publisher=NYTimes}}

Qatar has differences with the Saudi bloc on a number of issues: it broadcasts Al Jazeera, that widely reported the Arab Spring; it maintains relatively good relations with Iran, Saudi Arabia's key rival; and it has supported the Muslim Brotherhood in the past.{{cite web | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/05/world/middleeast/qatar-saudi-arabia-egypt-bahrain-united-arab-emirates.html | title = 5 Arab States Break Ties With Qatar, Complicating U.S. Coalition-Building | first1 = Anne | last1 = Barnard | first2 = David | last2 = Kirkpatrick | date = 5 June 2017 | access-date = 5 June 2017 | newspaper= New York Times }} Saudi Arabia frames the conflict with Qatar as a subset of the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict due to Saudi Arabia's longstanding concern about the country's relationship with Iran and Iranian-backed militant groups.{{cite news|last1=Wintour|first1=Patrick|title=Qatar: UAE and Saudi Arabia step up pressure in diplomatic crisis|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/07/qatar-fbi-says-russian-hackers-planted-fake-news-story-that-led-to-crisis-report|access-date=7 June 2017|work=The Guardian|date=7 June 2017}} However, Qatar maintains the conflict is an attempt for Saudi Arabia to reassert the hegemony over Qatar it enjoyed during the 20th century.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

The Tunisian Revolution of January 2011{{cite web|author=Ryan, Yasmine |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/01/2011126121815985483.html |title=How Tunisia's revolution began – Features |publisher=Al Jazeera |date=26 January 2011 |access-date=13 February 2011}} ousted longtime president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who fled to Saudi Arabia after being denied asylum in France. Widespread Al Jazeera coverage of the Bahraini uprising of 2011 fueled Saudi suspicions the Qatari government sought to overthrow the Saudi government via soft power. The Saudis then supported a largely successful counterrevolution to the Arab Spring to preserve the monarchy of Bahrain, overthrow the Egyptian democratically elected president Mohammad Morsi and stymie international support for the post-Gaddafi government in Libya. Since the 2013 Egyptian coup d'état by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, there has been a consistent pattern of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt opposing the designs of Qatar and Turkey, who supported democratic Islamist and Salafi extremist groups, particularly in the Syrian Civil War.

Both Saudi Arabia and Qatar mediated through the GCC during the Yemeni Revolution against President Ali Abdullah Saleh, although Qatar was considered more pro-revolution and KSA more pro-Saleh. Both rivals also backed the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a key ally of Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah. Qatari involvement in the Syrian Civil War was initially far greater in 2013 than Saudi involvement, and their backing of rival revolutionary groups benefited the incumbent government of Bashar al-Assad and what would become the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.{{Cite news|url=http://ig-legacy.ft.com/content/86e3f28e-be3a-11e2-bb35-00144feab7de#axzz5HI8bYdCN|title=Qatar bankrolls Syrian revolt with cash and arms - FT.com|work=Financial Times|access-date=2 June 2018|language=en}}{{cite news |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/f2d9bbc8-bdbc-11e2-890a-00144feab7de.html |title=How Qatar seized control of the Syrian revolution |author=Roula Khalaf and Abigail Fielding-Smith |newspaper=Financial Times |date=17 May 2013 |access-date=26 June 2013}} {{subscription required}} In 2014, the two countries backed rival sides in the Second Libyan Civil War, which continues to intensify, and they had even temporarily severed diplomatic relations with each other. When Salman of Saudi Arabia ascended to the throne in 2015, the two began to cooperate more in Syria and fought Houthi militias in the Yemeni Civil War. Saudi-Qatari relations were seen near a high point when Qatar severed ties with Iran by recalling its ambassador from Tehran in response to the attacks on Saudi embassy there following the 2016 Saudi execution of Nimr al-Nimr.

In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, the Maldives, Mauritania, Senegal, Djibouti, the Comoros, Jordan, the Tobruk-based Libyan government and finally the Hadi-led Yemeni government severed diplomatic relations with Qatar and blocked Qatar's airspace and sea routes along with Saudi Arabia blocking the only land crossing over its relations with Iran, Al-Jazeera reporting negative information about other GCC states and Egypt and the country's alleged support of Islamist groups.{{cite news|last1=Gambrell|first1=Jon|title=Arab nations cut ties with Qatar in new Mideast crisis|url=https://apnews.com/8257ce650e224188a1884e34eabb5e90/4-Arab-nations-cut-diplomatic-ties-to-Qatar-as-rift-deepens|access-date=6 June 2017|work=Associated Press|date=6 June 2017}}{{cite news|last1=Browning|first1=Noah|title=Yemen cuts diplomatic ties with Qatar: state news agency|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gulf-qatar-yemen-idUSKBN18W0RS|access-date=6 July 2017|work=Reuters|date=5 June 2017}} Qatar was also expelled from the anti-Houthi coalition.{{cite news|title=Qatar row: Saudi and Egypt among countries to cut Doha links|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-40155829|access-date=12 July 2017|agency=BBC News|date=5 June 2017}} Qatar's defense minister Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah called the blockade akin to a bloodless declaration of war, and Qatar's finance minister Ali Sharif Al Emadi stated that Qatar is rich enough to withstand the blockade.{{cite news|last1=Khatri|first1=Shabina S.|title=Defense minister: Blockade of Qatar a 'declaration of war'|url=https://dohanews.co/defense-minister-blockade-of-qatar-a-declaration-of-war/|access-date=12 July 2017|agency=Doha News|date=1 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701091640/https://dohanews.co/defense-minister-blockade-of-qatar-a-declaration-of-war/|archive-date=1 July 2017|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last1=Alkhalisi|first1=Zahraa|title=Qatar: 'We can defend our currency and the economy'|url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/06/22/news/economy/qatar-economy-finance-minister/index.html|access-date=12 July 2017|agency=CNN|date=22 June 2017}} On 24 August 2017, Qatar announced that they would restore full diplomatic relations with Iran.{{cite news|title=Qatar To Reinstate Ambassador To Iran Amid Gulf Crisis|url=http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/qatar-to-reinstate-ambassador-to-iran-amid-gulf-crisis-1741557|date=24 August 2017}} As the diplomatic standoff reached its second year, Saudi Arabia announced it would build a canal. Subsequently, this could turn Qatar into an island.{{cite news|title= Saudi Moves Forward With Plan to Turn Qatar Into Island|author=Vivian Nereim|date=20 June 2018|url= https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-20/saudi-moves-forward-with-plan-to-turn-qatar-into-island?}}

As of June 2024 Saudi Arabia has welcomed the resumption of diplomatic representation between the UAE and Qatar, reflecting continued efforts to stabilize and enhance inter-GCC relations.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-19 |title=Saudi Arabia welcomes resumption of diplomatic representation between UAE, Qatar |url=https://arab.news/2c3p5 |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=Arab News |language=en}}

Background

=History=

Since he took power in 1995, Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani believed Qatar could find security only by transforming itself from a Saudi appendage to a rival of Saudi Arabia.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/13/world/middleeast/how-the-saudi-qatar-rivalry-now-combusting-reshaped-the-middle-east.html|title=How the Saudi-Qatar Rivalry, Now Combusting, Reshaped the Middle East|first=Max|last=Fisher|work=The New York Times |date=13 June 2017|access-date=14 June 2017|via=NYTimes.com}} According to Jim Krane, energy research fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute, "Qatar used to be a kind of Saudi vassal state, but it used the autonomy that its gas wealth created to carve out an independent role for itself... Above all, gas prompted Qatar to promote a regional policy of engagement with Shiite Iran to secure the source of its wealth".{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-06-06/saudi-arabia-s-feud-with-qatar-has-22-year-history-rooted-in-gas|title=Saudi Dispute With Qatar Has 22-Year History Rooted in Gas|newspaper=Bloomberg |date=6 June 2017|access-date=8 June 2017|via=www.bloomberg.com}} Qatar and Iran share ownership of the South Pars/North Dome Gas-Condensate field,{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/1.793798|title=The Qatar-Iran Gas Field Behind the Diplomatic War in the Middle East |date=5 June 2017|access-date=6 June 2017 |newspaper=Haaretz}}
{{cite web |url=http://www.livemint.com/Politics/dHHtps3m3FN83KkPize4LP/Saudi-Arabias-feud-with-Qatar-has-22year-history-rooted-in.html|title=Saudi Arabia's feud with Qatar has 22-year history rooted in gas |first=Marc |last=Champion|date=6 June 2017|website=livemint.com|access-date=6 June 2017}} by far the world's largest natural gas field, with significant geostrategic influence.Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., [http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/02/rfk-jr-why-arabs-dont-trust-america-213601?o=1 "Why the Arabs Don’t Want Us in Syria"], politico.com, 22 February 2016 To further offset Saudi influence, Qatar is a close ally of the United States, hosting the largest American base in the Middle East, Al Udeid Air Base. Saudi Arabia withdrew its ambassador to Doha from 2002 to 2008 to try to pressure Qatar to curb its individualistic tendencies. This approach broadly failed.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-40159080|title=Qatar row: What's caused the fall-out between Gulf neighbours?|first=Dr David|last=Roberts|work=BBC News|date=5 June 2017|access-date=23 June 2017}}

File:Gulf Cooperation Council.svg

Qatar maintains relatively good relations with Iran. Saudi Arabia often frames the issue as a proxy battle between partners and adversaries of Iran.{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/qatar-crisis-turns-into-proxy-battle-of-mideast-rivals-1496934890|title=Qatar Crisis Turns Into Proxy Battle of Mideast Rivals|first=Yaroslav|last=Trofimov|newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=8 June 2017|access-date=8 June 2017|via=www.wsj.com}}
{{cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/06/12/the-saudi-iran-war-comes-to-washington/|title=The Saudi-Iran War Comes to Washington|date=12 January 2024 }} United Arab Emirates politicians claim that "Qatar invests billions of dollars in the U.S. and Europe and then recycles the profits to support Iranian-aligned Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood and groups linked to al Qaeda. While Qatar hosts the American military base from which the U.S. directs its regional war against extremism, it also owns media networks responsible for inciting many of the same extremists".{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/qatar-cannot-have-it-both-ways-1497307260|title=Qatar Cannot Have It Both Ways|first=Yousef Al|last=Otaiba|newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=12 June 2017|access-date=13 June 2017|via=www.wsj.com}} Qatar also used its contacts to help negotiate peaceful exchanges of hostages for the safe evacuation of civilians from areas affected by the Syrian Civil War. In 2006, Qatar was the only UN Security Council member to vote against United Nations Security Council Resolution 1696 that called on Iran to halt its nuclear enrichment program.{{cite book|title=Yearbook of the United Nations, Volume 60; Volume 2006|year=2010|publisher=United Nations Publications|isbn=978-92-1-101170-8|page=434|author=United Nations}}

In April 2017, after a 12-year freeze, Qatar lifted a self-imposed ban on developing the gas field with Iran,{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-qatar-gas-idUSKBN175181|title=Qatar restarts development of world's biggest gas field after 12-year freeze|date=4 April 2017|access-date=8 June 2017|newspaper=Reuters}} that would require cooperation between the two countries.{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/1.793798|title=The Qatar-Iran Gas Field Behind the Diplomatic War in the Middle East|date=7 June 2017|access-date=8 June 2017|newspaper=Haaretz}} According to David Roberts, a Qatar foreign policy expert at King's College, London, if a conflict erupts between America and Iran, Qatar would literally be caught in the middle. "If you are Qatar, you look across the water and you think, when Iran did have the opportunity to take a few Arab islands, they did it." "Qatar needs to have the ability to peacefully go about their business of sucking all the gas out of that giant field." Iran could make that process very difficult.{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2010/09/qatars-balancing-act/63542/|title=Qatar's Balancing Act|first=Elizabeth|last=Weingarten|website=The Atlantic |date=25 September 2010 |access-date=23 June 2017}} A senior fellow of Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations concludes that "There's a recognition of the general tendencies of the Gulf states to hedge their bets,"There's always a question in the back of the minds of the leadership--how much faith can they put in the U.S.?"

On 27 May 2017, the newly reelected Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held a phone call with Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Rouhani told Qatar's emir, "The countries of the region need more cooperation and consultations to resolve the crisis in the region and we are ready to cooperate in this field.""[http://www.thenational.ae/world/middle-east/iran-president-holds-phone-conversation-with-qatari-emir-over-gulf-relations Iran president holds phone conversation with Qatari emir over Gulf relations]". The National. 27 May 2017.

=Arab Spring and Al Jazeera=

The Qatari Al-Jazeera is a media organization owned by the Government of Qatar. It is the most popular network in the Middle East, and its news network has criticized principal foreign governments involved in triggering the dispute and been accused of supporting Qatari interests. The Saudi-led coalition against Qatar has demanded that Al-Jazeera be shut down.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/why-saudi-arabia-hates-al-jazeera-so-much-1716358|title=Why Saudi Arabia Hates Al Jazeera So Much|website=NDTV.com}}

=Terrorism=

Qatar has been accused of sponsoring terrorism.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2017/06/06/qatar-saudi-arabia-muslim-brotherhood-double-agent-war-terror-column/102525860/|title=Qatar was a double agent in war on terror|website=usatoday.com|access-date=7 June 2017}} Some countries have faulted Qatar for funding rebel groups in Syria, including al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, the al-Nusra Front,{{cite news |url=http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/News/12392.aspx |title=Gulf allies and 'Army of Conquest |newspaper=Al-Ahram Weekly |date=28 May 2015}} although the Saudis have done the same.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syria-crisis-turkey-and-saudi-arabia-shock-western-countries-by-supporting-antiassad-jihadists-10242747.html |title=Turkey and Saudi Arabia alarm the West by backing Islamist extremists the Americans had bombed in Syria |first=Kim |last=Sengupta |newspaper=The Independent |date=12 May 2015}}
{{cite news|url=https://www.academia.edu/33408451|title=Qatar Pursues an Independent Foreign Policy that Clashes with the Saudi's Strategic Interests|work=Eurasia Diary|date=8 June 2017|access-date=11 June 2017}}
{{cite news|url= https://www.academia.edu/33408486|title= Saudi Diplomatic Offensive on Qatar to Barely Impact Anti-Terror Fight in Region|work=Sputnik International|date=8 June 2017|access-date=11 June 2017}}
{{cite news|last1=Kirkpatrick|first2=David D.|last2=Barnard|first1=Anne|url= https://www.academia.edu/33408516|title= Terrorist Attacks Pour Gas on Saudi- Iranian Rivalry and Gulf Tensions|work=Eurasia Diary|date=7 June 2017|access-date=11 June 2017}} Both Qatar and Saudi Arabia have been involved in the CIA–led Timber Sycamore covert operation to train and arm Syrian rebels.{{cite news|last1=Mazzetti|first1=Mark|last2=Apuzzo|first2=Matt|title=U.S. Relies Heavily on Saudi Money to Support Syrian Rebels|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/24/world/middleeast/us-relies-heavily-on-saudi-money-to-support-syrian-rebels.html?_r=0|work=The New York Times|date=23 January 2016}}{{cite news|last1=Norton|first1=Ben|title=CIA and Saudi weapons for Syrian rebels fueled black market arms trafficking, report says|url=http://www.salon.com/2016/06/28/cia_and_saudi_weapons_for_syrian_rebels_fueled_black_market_arms_trafficking_report_says/|work=Salon.com|date=28 June 2016}}

Qatar has hosted officials from the Afghan Taliban{{cite news|last1=Siegel|first1=Robert|title=How Tiny Qatar 'Punches Above Its Weight'|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2013/12/20/255748469/how-tiny-qatar-punches-above-its-weight|access-date=5 June 2015|publisher=NPR|date=23 December 2013}} and Hamas. Qatar defends this move by saying it is trying to act as an intermediary in regional conflicts by hosting talks between the Taliban and the US-backed Afghan government in 2016.{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/18/taliban-afghanistan-secret-talks-qatar|title=Taliban and Afghanistan restart secret talks in Qatar|date=18 October 2016|website=the Guardian}}

On 13 July 2017, Bob Corker, a Republican senator and the chairman of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, stated that the "[t]he amount of support for terrorism by Saudi Arabia dwarfs what Qatar is doing".{{cite web|title=Bob Corker: Saudi terrorism support 'dwarfs' Qatar's|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/bob-corker-saudi-support-terror-dwarfs-qatar-170713043902732.html|publisher=Al Jazeera|date=13 July 2017}} Former US Defense Secretary and ex-CIA chief Robert Gates stated in May 2017 that he does not "know instances in which Qatar aggressively goes after (terror finance) networks of Hamas, Taliban, Al-Qaeda,"{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherhelman/2017/06/05/saudis-blockade-qatar-over-terror-financing-exxon-lng-assets-at-risk/#401d2542277d|title=Exxon's LNG Ventures Could Be At Risk As Saudis Lead Sanctions Against Qatar|first=Christopher|last=Helman|website=forbes.com|access-date=7 June 2017}} and that "My attitudes toward Al-Udeid and any other facility is that the United States military doesn't have any irreplaceable facility."{{cite web|url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/1105866/world|title=Sanctions, leaving military base 'possible options against Qatar'|date=27 May 2017|publisher=Arabnews.com|access-date=7 June 2017}} Qatar hosts the largest American base in the Middle East, the Al Udeid Air Base, which has been used by the United States in its campaigns in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.{{cite web |last=Lendon |first=Brad |url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/05/middleeast/qatar-us-largest-base-in-mideast/index.html |title=Qatar hosts largest US military base in Mideast |publisher=CNN|date=5 June 2017 |access-date=5 June 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2017/06/06/for-qataris-a-u-s-air-base-is-best-defense-against-trump-attacks/|title=For Qataris, a U.S. air base is best defense against Trump attacks|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=7 June 2017}} According to the WSJ, during President Barack Obama's first term, some members of his National Security Council lobbied to pull a U.S. fighter jet squadron out of Al Udeid to protest Qatari support of militant groups in the Middle East.{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/qatars-ties-to-militants-strain-alliance-1424748601|title=Qatar's Ties to Militants Strain Alliance|first1=Jay|last1=Solomon|first2=Nour|last2=Malas|newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=24 February 2015|access-date=23 June 2017|via=www.wsj.com}}

Timeline

=2002–2008=

In 2002, Saudi Arabia removed their ambassador from Qatar over Al Jazeera's alleged critical stance towards Saudi Arabia. Diplomatic relations were re-established in 2008, after assurances that Al Jazeera would limit its coverage of Saudi Arabia.{{cite journal|last1=Roberts|first1=David|title=A Dustup in the Gulf|journal=Foreign Affairs|date=June 2017|url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/middle-east/2017-06-13/dustup-gulf}}{{subscription required|via=Foreign Affairs}}

=2014=

During a March 2014 meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council, after which the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain announced the recall of their ambassadors to Qatar,{{cite news|newspaper=New York Times|date=5 March 2014|title=3 Gulf Countries Pull Ambassadors From Qatar Over Its Support of Islamists|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/06/world/middleeast/3-arabian-gulf-states-pull-ambassadors-from-qatar.html?_r=0}}{{cite web|url=http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/government/uae-saudi-arabia-and-bahrain-recall-their-ambassadors-from-qatar-1.1299586|title=gulfnews.com: "UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain recall their ambassadors from Qatar" 5 Mar 2014|date=5 March 2014 |access-date=21 November 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/05/world/meast/gulf-qatar-ambassadors/ |title=Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain withdraw envoys from Qatar |publisher=CNN |date=5 March 2014 |access-date=11 April 2014}} citing interference with their internal affairs. The situation was eventually defused after Qatar forced Brotherhood members to leave the country eight months later.{{cite web|url=https://www.academia.edu/12696782|title=GCC's 2014 Crisis: Causes, Issues and Solutions|first=Islam|last=Hassan|date=31 March 2015|publisher=Al Jazeera Research Center |access-date=4 June 2015}}

Some economists have interpreted the 2014 Saudi–Qatari rift as the tangible political sign of a growing economic rivalry between oil and natural gas producers, which could "have deep and long-lasting consequences" beyond the Middle East-North Africa area.{{cite news|url=https://www.academia.edu/6702258 |work=Al-Hayat |location=London |title=A GCC House Divided: Country Risk Implications of the Saudi-Qatari Rift |first=M. Nicolas J. |last=Firzli |date=6 April 2014 |access-date=9 April 2014}}

=2017–2018: Qatar–Saudi Arabia diplomatic crisis=

In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Maldives, Mauritania, Mauritius, Sudan, Senegal, Djibouti, Comoros, Jordan, the Tobruk-based Libyan government and the Hadi-led Yemeni government severed diplomatic relations with Qatar and blocked Qatar's airspace and sea routes along with Saudi Arabia blocking the only land crossing over its relations with Iran, Al-Jazeera reporting negative information about other GCC states and Egypt and the country's alleged support of Islamist groups. Qatar was also expelled from the anti-Houthi coalition. Qatar's defense minister Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah called the blockade akin to a bloodless declaration of war and Qatar's finance minister Ali Sharif Al Emadi stated that Qatar is rich enough to withstand the blockade.

The Saudi coalition withdrawing diplomatic relations accuse Qatar of supporting terrorism, of interfering with their internal affairs{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/egypt-saudi-arabia-among-gulf-states-cutting-ties-qatar-n768161|title=Saudi Arabia Accuses Qatar of Backing Terrorism, Cuts Ties|last=Associated Press|date=5 June 2017|work=NBCnews.com|access-date=5 June 2017}} and of maintaining relations with Iran.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/05/saudi-arabia-and-bahrain-break-diplomatic-ties-with-qatar-over-terrorism|title=Gulf plunged into diplomatic crisis as countries cut ties with Qatar|last=Wintour|first=Patrick|date=5 June 2017|access-date=5 June 2017|language=en-GB|newspaper=The Guardian}}{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/8257ce650e224188a1884e34eabb5e90/4-Arab-nations-cut-diplomatic-ties-to-Qatar-as-rift-deepens|title=Arab nations cut ties with Qatar in new Mideast crisis|last=Gambrell|first=Jon|date=5 June 2017|access-date=5 June 2017|work=Associated Press|language=en-GB}} Qatar denies allegations that it supported terrorism, and pointed out that it has been contributing to the U.S.-led fight against ISIL.{{cite news|title=Sheikh Tamim denies Qatar has links to terrorism|url=http://www.khaleejtimes.com/region/qatar/sheikh-tamim-denies-qatar-has-links-to-terrorism |date=25 May 2017 |newspaper=Khaleej Times |access-date=5 June 2017}}[http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/06/timing-qatar-crisis-saudi-arabia-gcc-uae-egypt-diplomatic.html The curious timing of the Qatar crisis] "Shortly after US President Donald Trump delivered his historic address to the US-Arab-Islamic Summit in Riyadh, seeking to align Washington's traditional Arab allies against Iran and its regional agenda, a new Middle East crisis erupted. The countries have also stressed the measures are in response to Qatar's violation of an agreement{{cite news|title=Qatar must stop changing the subject -- and start changing its behavior|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/20/opinions/qatar-needs-to-change-its-behavior-opinion/index.html|access-date=2 July 2017|work=CNN|date=20 June 2017}} in 2014 to not undermine the "interests, security and stability" of other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.{{citation| url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/04/gulf-states-agree-deal-end-qatar-tensions-2014417221056589789.html|title=Gulf states agree deal to end Qatar tensions|date=17 April 2014}}

The diplomatic crisis came after a speech in May given by Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in which he was alleged to have declared support for Iran, Hamas, and the Muslim Brotherhood, along with calling Iran an "Islamic power" and criticizing Donald Trump's hostile stance toward it.{{cite news|last1=Roberts|first1=David|title=Qatar row: What's caused the fall-out between Gulf neighbours?|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-40159080|access-date=6 June 2017|agency=BBC News|date=5 June 2017}} Qatar denied the allegations and claimed that hackers had posted fabricated statements on the state-run Qatar News Agency's website.{{cite news|last1=Gambrell|first1=Jon|title=Hack, fake story expose real tensions between Qatar, Gulf|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/qatar-says-state-news-website-hacked-fake-article-published/2017/05/23/f79c40d6-4026-11e7-b29f-f40ffced2ddb_story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524040737/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/qatar-says-state-news-website-hacked-fake-article-published/2017/05/23/f79c40d6-4026-11e7-b29f-f40ffced2ddb_story.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 May 2017|access-date=6 June 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|agency=Associated Press|date=24 May 2017}} US investigators believe the news agency was breached by Russian hackers as part of an ongoing fake news campaign designed to cause diplomatic rifts among the United States and its allies in the region. The Kremlin denied involvement, and the government of Qatar claimed the hack instead originated in the boycotting Gulf states not Russia after tracking suspicious cellphone signals.{{cite news|title=Qatar Denies Being Hacked by Russia, Accuses Gulf Countries of Cyberattack|url=https://wdef.com/2017/06/28/qatar-denies-being-hacked-by-russia-accuses-gulf-countries-of-cyberattack/|access-date=1 July 2017|agency=CBS News|date=28 June 2017}}{{Dead link|date=May 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite news|last1=Adly|first1=Ayman|title=QNA hacking originated in countries that have blockaded Qatar|url=http://www.gulf-times.com/story/554021/QNA-hacking-originated-in-countries-that-have-bloc|access-date=1 July 2017|work=Gulf Times|date=20 June 2017}}{{cite news|title=Qatar: QNA hacking linked to countries boycotting Doha|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/qatar-qna-hacking-linked-countries-boycotting-doha-170620194406644.html|access-date=1 July 2017|agency=Al Jazeera|date=20 June 2017}}{{cite news|last1=Perez|first1=Evan|last2=Prokupecz|first2=Shimon|title=CNN Exclusive: US suspects Russian hackers planted fake news behind Qatar crisis|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/06/politics/russian-hackers-planted-fake-news-qatar-crisis/index.html|access-date=7 June 2017|agency=CNN|date=6 June 2017}} Qatar is planning to sue countries involved in the blockade.{{cite news|title=Qatar to hire Swiss lawyers to sue Gulf blockade states|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/qatar-hire-swiss-lawyers-sue-gulf-blockade-states-170628162741121.html|access-date=1 July 2017|agency=Al Jazeera|date=29 June 2017}} The sudden economic isolation forced Qatar to turn to Turkey and Iran for food and water supplies.{{cite news|last1=Westall|first1=Sylvia|last2=Finn|first2=Tom|title=UAE turns screw on Qatar, threatens sympathizers with jail|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gulf-qatar-idUSKBN18Y0DH|access-date=7 June 2017|work=Reuters|date=7 June 2017}}{{cite news|last1=Clarke|first1=Hillary|title=Iran sends planes stuffed with food to Qatar|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/11/middleeast/iran-qatar-planes-food/index.html|access-date=12 July 2017|agency=CNN|date=11 June 2017}} Iran offered to use three of its ports for delivering supplies to Qatar.{{cite news|last1=Kerr|first1=Simeon|title=Iran offers Qatar use of its ports as Gulf blockade bites|url=https://www.ft.com/content/09c45a96-4c61-11e7-a3f4-c742b9791d43|access-date=20 July 2017|work=Financial Times|date=8 June 2017}}

Arab media claimed that Qatar has secretly accepted to become part of an Iranian Shia sphere of influence that Tehran is trying to create in the Middle East, and which would include Lebanon (Hezbollah), Syria (Assad), and Iraq (Shia-majority government){{cite web|last=Shahbandar|first=Oubai|url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/1106766|title=Qatar's deal with the devil|date=29 May 2017|website=Arab News|access-date=7 June 2017}} and that, in a phone conversation with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Emir Al Thani said he wanted the ties with Iran to be "stronger than ever before."{{cite web|url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/1106196/middle-east|title=Qatar's emir wants ties with Iran to be 'stronger than ever before'|date=28 May 2017|website=Arab News|access-date=7 June 2017}} Qatar claims Iranian-backed Hezbollah is a resistance movement against Israeli occupation, not a terrorist group.{{cite news|last1=Jaziri|first1=Elia|title=Analysis: Hezbollah and Qatar – a story of forbidden love?|url=http://english.alarabiya.net/en/features/2017/05/27/Hezbollah-and-Qatar-a-story-of-forbidden-love-.html|access-date=7 June 2017|agency=Al Arabiya|date=27 May 2017}} Arab media also claimed that a member of Qatar's ruling House of Thani, Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Abdullah Al Ahmed Al Thani, tweeted that Qatar's ruler Tamim has "joined forces with Iran against your brothers and set up terrorist groups and published electronic battalions to beat your opponents."{{cite web|last=Al-Habtoor|first=Khalaf Ahmad|url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/1111121|title=Qatar: Architect of its own isolation|date=7 June 2017|website=Arab News|access-date=7 June 2017}} Saudi media also alleged that Iran Revolutionary Guards are protecting Qatar's ruler Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani inside his palace.{{cite news|title=Iran Revolutionary Guards 'protecting Qatar's Sheikh Tamim inside his palace'|url=http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2017/06/07/Iran-s-Revolutionary-Guards-protecting-Qatari-emir-inside-palace-.html|access-date=7 June 2017|agency=Al Arabiya|date=7 June 2017}}

The Saudi-led bloc of states issued prerequisites to be met by Qatar before restoring diplomatic relations and lifting the blockade. The thirteen demands stipulated that the country must cut relations, military, and intelligence cooperation with Iran, comply with the US and international trade sanctions on Iran, immediately shut down a Turkish military base, and halt military cooperation with Turkey. It was also demanded that Qatar cut any existing ties with all "terrorist, sectarian and ideological organizations" such as ISIL, the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Al-Nusra Front, and Hezbollah, and must concur with any group's addition to the list of terrorist organizations as defined by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt.{{cite news|title=Arab states issue 13 demands to end Qatar-Gulf crisis|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/arab-states-issue-list-demands-qatar-crisis-170623022133024.html|access-date=20 July 2017|agency=Al Jazeera|date=12 July 2017}} Other demands were more punitive, requiring reparations and compensation for loss of life and other financial losses caused by Qatar's policies in recent years, the closure of state-funded media outlets like Al Jazeera, Arabi21, Rassd, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Mekameleen, and the Middle East Eye.{{cite news|title=Rights groups condemn demand to shut Al Jazeera|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/media-watchdog-slams-demand-shut-al-jazeera-170623111049529.html|access-date=12 July 2017|agency=Al Jazeera|date=23 June 2017}}

The bloc sought a guarantee that Qatar will in the future align in all matters with other Gulf states, discuss all its decisions with them, and provide regular reports on its activity (monthly for the first year, quarterly for the second and annual for the following ten years). They also demanded deportation of all political refugees who live in Qatar to their countries of origin, freezing their assets, providing any desired information about their residency, movements and finances, revoking their Qatari citizenship if naturalized, and forbade Qatar from granting citizenship to any more fugitives.{{cite news|last1=Fahim|first1=Kareem|title=Demands by Saudi-led Arab states for Qatar include shuttering Al Jazeera|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/saudi-led-arab-states-submit-demands-to-qatar-including-shuttering-of-al-jazeera/2017/06/23/d9d2711a-580e-11e7-9e18-968f6ad1e1d3_story.html|access-date=23 June 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=23 June 2017}}{{cite news|last1=Erickson|first1=Amanda|title=Why Saudi Arabia hates Al Jazeera so much|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/06/23/why-saudi-arabia-hates-al-jazeera-so-much/|access-date=23 June 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=23 June 2017}}

Upon rejection of demands by Qatar, the countries involved announced that the blockade would remain in place until Qatar changes its policies.{{cite news|title=Saudi-led group: Qatar not serious about demands|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/saudi-led-group-qatar-demands-170705144209453.html|access-date=20 July 2017|agency=Al Jazeera|date=6 July 2017}}{{cite news|title=Saudi-led group vows 'appropriate' measures|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/saudi-led-group-vows-measures-qatar-170706222931408.html|access-date=20 July 2017|agency=Al Jazeera|date=7 July 2017}}

=2021: Gulf Reconciliation=

On 5 January 2021, the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani visited the city of Al-Ula in Saudi Arabia for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit. Saudi, along with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, signed an agreement to restore full diplomatic relations with Qatar, and to end the three and a half years of blockade. The resolution was brokered by Kuwait and the US.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/saudi-arabia-lifts-blockade-qatar-breakthrough-agreement-eases-gulf-crisis-n1250102|title=Saudi Arabia lifts blockade of Qatar in breakthrough agreement easing Gulf crisis|access-date=5 January 2021|website=NBC News|date=5 January 2021 }}

Initially, only Saudi agreed to reopen its airspace and maritime borders with Qatar, commencing the process of reconciliation.{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/04/world/qatar-and-saudi-arabia-reopen-airspace-intl/index.html|title=Saudi Arabia and Qatar agree to reopen airspace and maritime borders|access-date=5 January 2021|website=CNN|date=4 January 2021 }} However, the UAE joined in later and announced to open all of its land, sea and air borders, allowing travel and trade with Qatar.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-55579014|title=UAE to restore Qatar trade and travel links 'within a week' after row ends|work=BBC News |date=7 January 2021 |access-date=7 January 2021}}

On 16 January 2021, the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Faisal bin Farhan announced that his country will be re-opening their embassy in Qatar, as part of the Al-Ula deal of reconciliation.{{cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/middle-east_saudi-fm-says-embassy-reopen-qatar-within-days/6200822.html|title=Saudi FM Says Embassy to Reopen in Qatar Within Days|access-date=16 January 2021|website=The Voice of America|date=16 January 2021 }}

On 8 December 2021, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in Doha on his first visit since Saudi Arabia and several other Arab allies imposed an embargo on Qatar in mid-2017. Prince Mohammed was received on arrival by emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamed al-Thani.{{Cite web|last=Andrew Mills|title=Saudi crown prince on first visit to Qatar since Gulf row resolved - Metro US|url=https://www.metro.us/saudi-crown-prince-on/|access-date=2021-12-08|website=www.metro.us|date=8 December 2021 |language=en-US}}

Countries of contention

=Egypt=

{{multiple image

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| footer = Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (left), who is supported by Saudi Arabia and replaced then President Mohamed Morsi (right), who was supported by Qatar.

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File:R4bia sign used in solidarity with victims of Rabaa crackdown 23-Aug-2013.jpg, a sign used by the Muslim Brotherhood and its supporters in Egypt in the wake of the overthrow of Mohamed Morsi.]]

Qatar has supported the Muslim Brotherhood in the past.

Qatar supported the successful ouster of President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011, which was a landmark moment for Al Jazeera. Qatari-backed Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated candidate Mohamed Morsi became Egypt's first democratically elected president in 2012, only to be overthrown the next year by a Saudi-supported military coup led by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, after widespread protests against his rule.

Since the coup, Saudi Arabia sees the Muslim Brotherhood as a threat, as it ideologically opposes the hereditary rule of Al Saud.{{cite news |first=Patrick |last=Wintour |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/05/saudi-arabia-and-bahrain-break-diplomatic-ties-with-qatar-over-terrorism |title=Gulf plunged into diplomatic crisis as countries cut ties with Qatar |newspaper=The Guardian |date=5 June 2017 |access-date=5 June 2017}} The government of Egypt has long viewed the Muslim Brotherhood as "enemy number one".{{cite web |url=http://www.dw.com/en/discord-in-the-persian-gulf-qatar-and-the-muslim-brotherhood/a-39005743 |title=Discord in the Persian Gulf: Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood |work=Deutsche Welle |date=27 May 2017 |first=Kersten |last=Knipp |access-date=5 June 2017}} In 2011, during the Arab Spring, Qatar supported the Egyptian protesters agitating for change, as well as the Muslim Brotherhood.{{cite news|title=Why Tiny Qatar Angers Saudi Arabia and Its Allies: QuickTake Q&A|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-06-05/why-tiny-qatar-angers-saudi-arabia-and-its-allies-quicktake |first1=Grant |last1=Clark |first2=Mohammed |last2=Sergie |date=5 June 2017 |work=Bloomberg.com |access-date=5 June 2017}} By contrast, Saudi Arabia supported Hosni Mubarak and currently supports Abdel Fattah el-Sisi{{cite news|first=Euan |last=McKirdy |title=Middle East split: The allies isolating Qatar |url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/05/middleeast/qatar-saudi-arabia-bahrain-egypt-uae-relations/index.html |work=CNN |date=5 June 2017 |access-date=5 June 2017}}

In February 2015, Egypt–Qatar relations deteriorated after the Egyptian Air Force conducted airstrikes on suspected ISIL positions in neighboring Libya following the beheading of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/17/world/middleeast/isis-egypt-libya-airstrikes.html|title=Egypt Launches Airstrike in Libya Against ISIS Branch|work=New York Times|last=Kirkpatrick|first=David|date=16 February 2015|access-date=23 March 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/02/egypt-war-terrorism-libya-qatar-reject.html|title=Qatar rejects Egypt's war on terrorism|publisher=Al Monitor|last=Hussein|first=Walaa|date=1 March 2015|access-date=23 March 2015}} The airstrikes were condemned by Al Jazeera, who broadcast images of civilian casualties. Additionally, Qatar's foreign ministry expressed reservations over the airstrikes. This prompted Tariq Adel, Egypt's Arab League delegate, to accuse Qatar of supporting terrorism. Egyptian citizens also launched an online campaign denouncing the Qatari government.{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/02/qatar-recalls-ambassador-egypt-isil-row-150219041512741.html|title=Qatar recalls ambassador to Egypt over ISIL row|publisher=Al Jazeera|date=19 February 2015|access-date=23 March 2015}} The Gulf Cooperation Council rejected Egypt's accusations and its secretary general regarded the statements to be false.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/arabic/middleeast/2015/02/150219_gcc_egypt_qatar_terror_row|title=GCC rejects accusation of Egypt to Qatar supporting terrorism|publisher=BBC Arabic|date=19 February 2015|access-date=23 March 2015}} Shortly after, Qatar recalled its ambassador to Egypt for "consultations".

=Syria=

Qatar was initially the main backer of protests against President Bashar al-Assad, alongside Turkey. As the Syrian government met protests with deadly force, Qatar continued to be the main supporter of the resulting armed rebellion and eventual full-scale civil war. Saudi Arabia was initially reluctant to support the overthrow of the Assad government, despite its reliance on Iran. When Qatar and Turkey became increasingly influential in Syria, Saudi Arabia joined the conflict to overthrow Assad as he became more dependent on Iran and Russia to cling to power.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}}

During Syrian Civil War, both Qatar and Saudi Arabia have supported many Syrian opposition rebel organisations, but also sometimes the same groups. The main Qatari-supported group was the Al Nusra Front; links were made to the group via Abu Maria al-Qahtani who actively sought Qatari support and later Turkish support to split the group from al-Qaeda as well as to fight ISIL,{{Cite web|url=https://english.alarabiya.net/en/features/2017/07/06/Qatar|title=How Qatar carefully nurtured al-Nusra to sow mayhem|date=6 July 2017|website=Al Arabiya English}}{{Cite web|url=https://tcf.org/content/commentary/no-united-states-isnt-dropping-syrias-jihadis-terror-list/|title=No, the United States Isn't Dropping Syria's Jihadis From Its Terror List|date=18 May 2017|website=The Century Foundation}} opposing major Saudi-backed groups Islamic Front / SIF and Jaysh al-Islam. The division benefited not only Assad, Russia, and Iran, but also what became the Islamic State in 2014. In 2015, increased Saudi-Qatari coordination upon Salman's ascension to the throne led to the creation of the Army of Conquest. This Army captured the Idlib Governorate from the Assad government, which nearly collapsed until Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War later that year.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}}

Saudi Arabia later joined the UAE in supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces, which has clashed with Qatar's ally Turkey in northern Syria.{{cite news|quote=Along with their American counterparts, Emirati special forces are said to be training elements of the opposition. They constitute a kind of Arab guarantee among the Syrian Democratic Forces – an umbrella group dominated by the Kurds of the PYD, on whom the US are relying to fight IS on the ground.|work=Al-Araby Al-Jadeed|url=https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/comment/2017/2/23/the-uae-has-it-in-for-the-muslim-brotherhood|title=The UAE has it in for the Muslim Brotherhood|date=22 February 2017}}{{cite news|work=Wall Street Journal|title=U.S. Seeks Arab Force and Funding for Syria|date=16 April 2018|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-seeks-arab-force-and-funding-for-syria-1523927888|quote=Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. helped pay the stipends for the Syrian fighters the U.S. is supporting}}

On 9 November 2018, After Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani visited Iraq and Iraqi government officials and proposed the creation of a new coalition to counter the GCC's influence in the region consisting of Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey as well as Qatar.{{cite web |url=https://almasdarnews.com/article/qatar-proposes-to-form-new-coalition-in-mid-east-report/ |title=Qatar proposes to form new coalition in Mid East - report |website=almasdarnews.com |date=9 November 2018 |access-date=9 November 2018 |archive-date=7 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201007183628/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/qatar-proposes-to-form-new-coalition-in-mid-east-report/ |url-status=dead }}

Since November 2018, Saudi Arabia and Syria were negotiating a political reaprochement, with the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Jordan as an intermediaries.{{Cite web

|url=https://gulfnews.com/world/mena/with-eye-on-turkey-arabs-look-to-mend-ties-with-al-assad-1.68580376|title=With eye on Turkey, Arabs look to mend ties with Al Assad|work=Gulf News|date=22 December 2019 }} The talks included potential future cooperation against the Muslim Brotherhood in the region.{{Cite web|url=https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syria-and-saudi-arabia-to-potentially-reconcile-after-uae-reopens-damascus-embassy/|title=Syria and Saudi Arabia to potentially reconcile after UAE reopens Damascus embassy|author=Leith Aboufadel|work=Al Masdar News|date=7 November 2018|access-date=19 November 2018|archive-date=30 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430095731/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syria-and-saudi-arabia-to-potentially-reconcile-after-uae-reopens-damascus-embassy/|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|work=Tehran Times|date=26 August 2018|title=MBS urged Assad to cut ties with Iran, Hezbollah: Lebanese MP|url=http://www.tehrantimes.com/news/426818/MBS-urged-Assad-to-cut-ties-with-Iran-Hezbollah-Lebanese-MP}} Since 2021, regular meetings between the heads of intelligence services were held.{{Cite news|work=Al Jazeera|title='Times have changed': Saudi Arabia–Syria in rapprochement talks|date=8 June 2021|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/8/times-have-changed-saudi-syria-in-rapprochement-talks}} On 23 March 2023, Saudi Arabia and Syria began discussing restoration of diplomatic relations.{{Cite web|date=23 March 2023|title=Saudi Arabia, Syria discuss restoring diplomatic relations|access-date=23 March 2023|website=ABC News

|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/saudi-arabia-syria-discuss-restoring-diplomatic-relations-98085738}} On 13 April 2023, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad arrived in Jeddah to meet Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. After frayed relations during the Syrian civil war, both nations now seek "a political solution to the Syrian crisis that preserves the unity, security and stability of Syria,” according to the Saudi foreign ministry.{{cite web|title=Syrian FM makes first visit to Saudi Arabia since 2011|website=Al Jazeera|date=12 April 2023|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/12/syrian-fm-makes-first-visit-to-saudi-arabia-since-2011|access-date=13 April 2023}} As of 2023, Qatar supports the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other Islamist groups, while Saudi Arabia supports the Syrian government.

=Libya=

Leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed following 2011 revolution that saw a Qatari and other military intervention on the side of the revolutionary National Transitional Council. Since the civil war escalated in 2014, the Saudi bloc and Qatar have supported rival factions in Libya.{{cite web|title=UAE, Saudi Arabia aiding Libya eastern forces, blacklisting Qatar for alleged support for other Libyans|url=https://www.libyaobserver.ly/opinions/uae-saudi-arabia-aiding-libya-eastern-forces-blacklisting-qatar-alleged-support-other|publisher=The Libya Observer|access-date=13 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805222215/https://www.libyaobserver.ly/opinions/uae-saudi-arabia-aiding-libya-eastern-forces-blacklisting-qatar-alleged-support-other|archive-date=5 August 2017|url-status=dead}} Qatar supports the Internationally recognized government of Government of National Accord, while Saudi Arabia supports the Tobruk-based government of House of Representatives.

=Palestine=

Qatar has generally supported Hamas, while Saudi Arabia used to support many Palestinian political organizations, including Hamas and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)/Fatah. However, after Hamas won the 2006 Palestinian legislative election, the level of funding from Saudi Arabia dropped, while the level of funding from Iran increased. Turkey and Qatar are now Hamas's biggest supporters. Up until 2011, the beginning of the Arab Spring, Iran and Syria were Hamas's biggest supporters.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

From 2016 onwards, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has courted Qatar and Turkey in order to ward off a potential challenge to his leadership by Mohammed Dahlan, who is supported by Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt.{{Cite news|work=Daily Sabah|title=Saudi Crown Prince Salman threatens Abbas with ouster if he does not cooperate: report|url=https://www.dailysabah.com/mideast/2017/12/24/saudi-crown-prince-salman-threatens-abbas-with-ouster-if-he-does-not-cooperate-report|date=24 December 2017}}{{cite news|work=Middle East Monitor|title=Abbas eyes support of Qatar, Turkey|date=26 October 2018|url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20161026-abbas-eyes-support-of-qatar-turkey/}}

=Yemen=

In 2015, Salman of Saudi Arabia ascends to the throne and Houthis take over the capital, leading to a civil war met by Saudi intervention to support the post-Saleh national unity government led by Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. Qatar supported this KSA-led coalition until it was expelled from it during the 2017–18 Qatar diplomatic crisis. Pro-Saudi sources claim that Qatar was also supporting the Houthis government, with financial aid and intelligence aid.{{Cite web|url=https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/1/15264/How-did-Qatar-back-the-Houthis-in-Yemen|title=How did Qatar back the Houthis in Yemen?|date=3 August 2017|website=EgyptToday}}{{cite news|last=Mahmood|first=Ali|url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/mena/aden-s-stc-says-qatar-is-giving-houthis-financial-support-1.753172|title=Aden's STC says Qatar is giving Houthis financial support|quote=The Southern Transitional Council said Doha is helping Iranian-backed rebels to buy weapons|work=The National}}{{cite news|url=https://www.saudi24news.com/2020/09/a-former-intelligence-officer-reveals-qatars-support-for-the-houthis-to-strike-saudi-arabia.html|title=A former intelligence officer reveals Qatar's support for the Houthis to strike Saudi Arabia|quote=The newspaper quoted the former intelligence officer, who introduced himself under a pseudonym “Jason J,” as saying that Doha has been funding the Houthi militia over the past few years “directly” with the aim of attacking Saudi Arabia. The Austrian newspaper stated that the files of the former intelligence man contain accurate details of Qatar’s funding over the years for the Lebanese Hezbollah militias and the Muslim Brotherhood, which reveals the seriousness of the role Qatar plays in the region.|work=Saudi24News|access-date=12 August 2021|archive-date=24 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724214706/https://www.saudi24news.com/2020/09/a-former-intelligence-officer-reveals-qatars-support-for-the-houthis-to-strike-saudi-arabia.html|url-status=dead}}[https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/1/15264/How-did-Qatar-back-the-Houthis-in-Yemen How did Qatar back the Houthis in Yemen?] Egypt Today: The magazine of Egypt{{Cite web|url=http://www.theportal-center.com/2018/06/yemeni-adviser-qatars-support-for-houthis-blatant/|title=Yemeni adviser: Qatar's support for Houthis blatant|date=24 June 2018 }}Mohammed, Islam [http://www.theportal-center.com/2018/10/financing-and-arming-qatars-dangerous-support-for-the-muslim-brotherhood-and-houthis-in-yemen/ Financing and arming, Qatar’s dangerous support for the Muslim Brotherhood and Houthis in Yemen]

In 2007, Qatar assumed a mediating position with the aim of facilitating dialogue and potentially orchestrating a peace agreement between the government of Yemen and the Houthi insurgents, a group adhering to Zaidi Shia Islam and based in the Saada Governorate in the north. This intervention by Qatar was notable for being among the earliest significant external endeavors to mediate the ongoing conflict.{{Cite web |title=Mediation and Qatari Foreign policy |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233600586}}

Other involved parties

=Turkey=

Turkey has emerged as a major supporter for Qatar in the conflict. The Turkish government under Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had deployed troops to assist Qatar deterring Saudi Arabia, as well as food aid.{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/11/25/erdogan-turkey-qatar-military-base-serves-regional-stability|title=Erdogan: Turkey-Qatar military base serves regional 'stability'|website=www.aljazeera.com}} There has been skepticism about the relations between two countries, in particular.{{Cite web|url=https://ahvalnews.com/qatar-turkey/has-turkey-qatar-axis-brought-peace-or-chaos-middle-east|title=Has the Turkey-Qatar axis brought peace or chaos to the Middle East?|website=Ahval}}

=Jordan=

While Jordan has some sporadic tensions with Qatar with regard to Al Jazeera, Jordan refused to cut ties completely with Qatar, as the country is dependent on aid from the Gulf nations to function the economy.{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/jordan-downgrades-ties-qatar-170606212813381.html|title=Jordan downgrades ties with Qatar|publisher=Al Jazeera|date=6 June 2017|access-date=3 June 2018}} Public pressure inside also forced Jordan to decide its decision carefully. In 2019, Jordan restored relations with Qatar.{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/7/17/jordan-appoints-new-qatar-envoy-two-years-after-downgrading-ties|title=Jordan appoints new Qatar envoy, two years after downgrading ties|website=www.aljazeera.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/7/9/inching-away-from-saudi-uae-axis-jordan-restores-ties-with-qatar|title=Inching away from Saudi-UAE axis, Jordan restores ties with Qatar|first=Ali|last=Younes|website=www.aljazeera.com}} Both Qatar and Saudi Arabia are major financiers for Jordan, and the Jordanian authorities have long been afraid such tensions could provide more opportunities for Iran to destabilize the region.{{cite web|url=https://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/opinion/24/12/2017/Jordan-Between-the-Sunni-world%E2%80%99s-two-poles|title=Jordan: Between the Sunni world's two poles|website=Thepeninsulaqatar.com|access-date=19 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228161808/http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/opinion/24/12/2017/Jordan-Between-the-Sunni-world%E2%80%99s-two-poles|archive-date=28 December 2017|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}

=Egypt=

Egypt supports Saudi Arabia and has cut off official ties with Qatar since 2017, in light of Qatar's accused support for Muslim Brotherhood, and has remained unchanged over the issues.{{cite web |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/egypts-sisi-says-position-on-qatar-unchanged/1677100 |title= Egypt's Sisi says position on Qatar 'unchanged' |website=aa.com |date=18 December 2019 }}

=Iran=

Iran has been one of the major supporters for Qatar, though its support is limited. Iran has unofficially supported some of Qatar's policies while Qatar restored ties with Iran.{{Cite web|url=https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/iransource/gcc-dispute-pushes-iran-and-qatar-closer-but-with-caveats/|title=GCC dispute pushes Iran and Qatar closer but with caveats|date=17 June 2019}}

=Kuwait=

Kuwait, a similar Gulf country with Qatar and Saudi Arabia, offered to be a mediator in the conflict. However, there has been skepticism over Kuwait's role on mediating the disputes, mainly due to Saudi pressure to cut ties with Qatar.{{Cite web|url=https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/will-kuwaiti-mediation-help-ease-the-gulf-crisis-29552|title=Will Kuwaiti mediation help ease the Gulf crisis?|website=Will Kuwaiti mediation help ease the Gulf crisis?}}