Why did Arab countries break off relations with Qatar? Why tiny Qatar is irritating Saudi Arabia and its allies



They accused Doha of providing support to terrorist groups and interfering in the internal affairs of states in the region. Yemen later joined the demarche.

"Qatar, in blatant violation of all agreements, pacts and principles of international law, has spread chaos in Bahrain. It does not take into account the values, rights, morals, principles of good neighborliness and relations in the Persian Gulf and denies all obligations," the statement posted on the Foreign Ministry website said. Bahrain. Qatari citizens have 14 days to leave Bahrain, while diplomats have 48 hours. In addition, it is reported that Bahrain has closed its airspace to Qatari aircraft.

Saudi Arabian authorities also announced the cessation of land, air and sea communications with Qatar. Riyadh explained this decision with security considerations.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry clarified that “the decision to sever diplomatic relations was made in connection with Qatar’s dissemination of the ideology of the Al-Qaeda * and Islamic State ** groups, support for terrorist attacks in the Sinai, Qatar’s continued interference in the internal affairs of Egypt and the countries of the region, which jeopardizes the national security of Arab countries and sows division in Arab society."

The department also announced the failure of attempts to dissuade Doha from supporting terrorist groups, primarily the Islamist association Muslim Brotherhood, banned in Egypt,*** and the refusal to expel its leaders.

The decision to sever diplomatic relations was also supported by the UAE.

In addition, the Saudi Arabia-led coalition announced the end of Qatar's participation in a joint military operation against the Houthis, who have established control over a large part of Yemen's territory. Al Arabiya TV channel reported this.

Let us remind you: this is not the first time that Qatar, which in the Arab world is elegantly called the “barking mouse,” has found itself in the role of an outcast. In March 2014, Bahrain, the UAE and Saudi Arabia almost simultaneously recalled their ambassadors from Qatar, accusing the leadership of this country of political and financial support for the Muslim Brotherhood. But, as practice has shown, this did not lead to serious isolation of Doha.

What is behind the current demarche of the Arab “five”, how will this affect the situation in the Middle East?

— The attack against Qatar is a manifestation of the split within the Arab-Islamic coalition, which arose after the visit to Riyadh US President Donald Trump, says Stanislav Tarasov, director of the Middle East-Caucasus Research Center of the International Institute of New States. — Let me remind you that the visit took place on May 21, and Trump, on the very first day of his stay in Saudi Arabia, concluded the largest arms deal in the history of the United States. The parties agreed on a comprehensive strategic partnership and signed a number of agreements totaling $280 billion.

In essence, Riyadh bought off the Americans with an unprecedented contract in order to free its hands in actions against Tehran. In response, Iran appears to have made political and diplomatic efforts to break up the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Shiites in Yemen.

As we see, Iran succeeded in driving a wedge into the ranks of the coalition. At the end of May, excerpts from a speech that was attributed to Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at the graduation ceremony for officer courses in Doha. Excerpts from it were instantly distributed by certain Arab and Western media.

This address, allegedly delivered by the Emir of Qatar, indicated, in particular, that “it would be unwise to have tense relations with Iran, which is a strong power and a guarantor of stability in the region.” In addition, the head of Qatar allegedly said that the Islamist movement Hamas is the “legitimate representative of the Palestinian people” and Qatar “contributes to achieving a just peace between Hamas and Israel by maintaining constant contacts with both sides.”

It is now believed that Tehran could well have been behind this information leak directed against Saudi Arabia.

"SP": - Do you think this version is plausible?

- Not really. It can now be used as an information cover. And the real reasons for the break with Qatar are most likely related to the aggravation in Yemen. I do not rule out that Iran, which the coalition led by Saudi Arabia has designated as an enemy, has made efforts to complicate life for the United States and create a new front for the Americans in Yemen.

This version, I believe, is supported by the fact that the United States is postponing the assault on Raqqa together with the Syrian Kurds. In my opinion, Washington fears complications from Tehran and in the Syrian direction.

There is another important point: May 30 Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in the Kremlin with Deputy Crown Prince and Minister of Defense of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman. According to a statement from the Office of the Royal Court of Saudi Arabia, bin Salman came on an official visit to Moscow "in response to the invitation of President Putin and on the instructions of King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud".

Then the Arab media wrote that the meeting took place as part of the upcoming visit to the region by Vladimir Putin, who was supposedly going to visit both Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Now, after the demarche against Doha, the question arises: will the Russian leader’s visit to the Middle East take place at all, and if so, to which country?

"SP": - Like a split in the Arab-Islamic will the coalition affect the situation in the Middle East?

“Now the situation in the region is becoming particularly tense, which may affect the further course of events, and above all in the Syrian direction. Iran has already stated that it accepts only a format for the Syrian settlement that involves the participation of Damascus in the process. It is clear that the United States is categorically not happy with this scenario.

It can be said that Trump in Riyadh challenged Tehran by supplying the coalition with an unprecedented amount of weapons, and now Iran has picked up the thrown gauntlet.

"SP": - What does the current aggravation mean for Russia?

— We are participating in the Syrian settlement in a coalition with Iran and Turkey. And for us, the danger is that the crisis could spread to groups in Syria controlled by Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Yes, in such a situation, Moscow receives favorable opportunities for maneuvering - it is no coincidence that the Arab media are hinting that Putin could mediate in a settlement between Qatar and Saudi Arabia. But overall, this does not make the situation any less tense.

* Al-Qaeda was recognized as a terrorist organization by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation on February 14, 2003, and its activities in Russia are prohibited.

** The Islamic State movement (ISIS) was recognized as a terrorist organization by a decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation on December 29, 2014, and its activities in Russia are prohibited.

*** "Muslim Brotherhood" ("Al-Ikhwan al Muslimun") is a terrorist organization. By the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of February 14, 2003, its activities were prohibited on the territory of Russia.

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On the night of June 5, Bahrain announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Qatar and its intention to interrupt air and sea communications with this country. Soon, similar statements were made by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt. According to Al Arabiya, Yemen then joined them. All these countries accused Qatar of supporting terrorist groups and trying to influence their domestic policies in cooperation with Iran. Following them, Libyan leader General Khalifa Haftar, who opposes the UN-backed government, announced a break with Qatar. About it reports Al Jazeera. The interim government of Libya under the leadership of Prime Minister Abdullah Abdurrahman al-Thani made this decision out of solidarity, Mohammed al-Dairi, head of the Foreign Ministry of the eastern government of Libya, told Sky News Arabiya. As TASS reports, on behalf of this structure, he accused Doha of “numerous and ongoing attacks on the dignity of the Libyan people after the February 17 revolution, which has long caused indignation and anger among broad sections of Libyan society.” This decision was then supported by the Republic of Maldives, TASS reports citing Al-Arabiya.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry said a few hours later that this decision had no legitimate basis and that it violated the sovereignty of the emirate, AP reports. At the same time, the department assured that this decision will not affect the lives of ordinary citizens in any way. “Doha regrets the decision of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain to sever relations and considers this measure unjustified, based on unsubstantiated allegations,” TASS quoted the statement as saying. Doha also regrets “the closure of borders with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain.”

Allegations against Qatar

Bahrain on Monday morning accused Qatar of supporting armed terrorist groups, financing Iranian groups that are trying to carry out sabotage in Bahrain, and attempting incitement through the media. This was stated in a brief statement by the Bahrain Foreign Ministry, which was reported by the state news agency.

Riyadh, through the state agency SPA, accused Doha of systematically trying to split the Saudis, undermine the kingdom's sovereignty and support various terrorist and sectarian groups that are trying to destabilize the situation in the region. Al-Arabiya reports this. In particular, Saudi Arabia suspects Qatar of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamic State (banned in Russia) and Al-Qaeda (banned in Russia), banned in the kingdom, and of supporting pro-Iranian terrorist groups operating in Saudi Arabia.

The UAE in its statement noted that Qatar threatens stability and security in the region and tried to manipulate the terms of previously concluded agreements between the Gulf countries.

Egypt reproached Qatar for supporting the Muslim Brotherhood.

Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt said their diplomats would leave Qatar and gave Qatari citizens two weeks to leave, Reuters reported. The UAE, Egypt and Bahrain have interrupted air and sea communications with Qatar, and Saudi Arabia has also closed the land border. Saudi Arabia, which leads the international coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen, also said Qatari troops would no longer participate in the military operation.

It later became known that Doha asked its fellow citizens to leave the UAE within two weeks. According to Reuters, this was reported by the Qatari Embassy in Abu Dhabi on social networks. Those who cannot get to Qatar directly are advised to travel through Kuwait or Oman.

Air traffic and quotes

Abu Dhabi-based state airline Etihad Airways said it would suspend flights to Qatar from June 6. Al Arabiya reported that many flights were delayed and canceled at Doha International Airport. Then it became known that the Emirati companies FlyDubai and Emirates were going to suspend flights to Qatar, Reuters reports. Also from Tuesday, Air Arabia is suspending flights to Doha, which promised passengers who had already purchased tickets to reimburse ticket costs or offer flights to other destinations. Then Qatar Airways, one of the largest airlines in the region, announced through its website that it was stopping flights to Saudi Arabia, Reuters reports. The agency recalls that the company's planes regularly fly through the kingdom's airspace. According to TASS, the suspension was also reported by the Egyptian Egypt Air and Saudi Arabia. The largest airline in the Kingdom of Bahrain, Gulf Air, will suspend flights between Manama and Doha from midnight on June 6, TASS reports citing Al-Arabiya TV channel.

On this news, oil prices went up. August Brent futures on the London ICE Futures exchange reached $50.48 per barrel on Monday morning, Reuters reports. On Friday, trading closed at $49.95 per barrel. By 9.35 Moscow time, the contract price was $50.37 per barrel, by 10.58 Moscow time it had adjusted to $50.24 per barrel. The conflict has not affected oil supplies, but it creates a risk of interruptions in the export of raw materials from the region, Interfax quotes experts as saying. According to the US Department of Energy, the Strait of Hormuz, through which oil is supplied from the Middle East, accounts for about 30% of the oil supplied by sea. The Qatari stock index QE All Share collapsed by 7.6% during trading, while other market indicators – Qatar Ex and QE TR – are losing more than 7%, Interfax reports.

Possible consequences

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson does not think that the current escalation will affect cooperation in the fight against the Islamic State, but called on the Gulf countries to resolve all differences through dialogue. As Fox News reports, the head of the State Department commented on the situation in Australia, where he is on a visit. According to him, it was noticeable that mutual distrust between these countries had been brewing for quite a long time and now it had “boiled” and reached the point where it was time to resolve all differences. “We will, of course, welcome the parties’ decision to sit down at the negotiating table to resolve their differences,” he said. The United States has several military bases in the region, including the position of the American military at the Al-Udeid airbase in Qatar. Central Command has not yet responded to a Reuters request about the possible consequences of current political decisions. The US Navy's 5th Fleet, based in Bahrain, also did not respond to the agency's request.

Closing borders and breaking diplomatic ties is not a way out of the crisis, said Hamid Aboutalebi, deputy chief of staff of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. He is convinced that aggression will result in increased instability. He is quoted by Reuters. He also suggested that the United States was behind the countries that opposed Qatar.

If the borders with Qatar are closed for a long enough time, this could affect the 2022 FIFA World Cup in that country, Christian Ulriksen, an expert on the Gulf countries of the American Baker Institute, told Reuters. His impression is that the UAE and Saudi Arabia are encouraged by the alignment of their regional interests regarding Iran and Islamists with the Trump administration's policies. “They decided to respond to Qatar’s alternative approaches, assuming that they would be supported by the US administration,” the analyst said. FIFA Reuters stated that they are in regular contact with the organizing committee of the 2022 World Cup; the organization will not make any other comments for now.

Russia does not see any big risks of the deal to reduce production by OPEC and non-OPEC countries being disrupted due to current decisions, a source close to the Russian Ministry of Energy told Interfax. “For example, Iran and Saudi Arabia broke off diplomatic relations with each other in early 2016, but this did not prevent the deal,” he said, adding that the issue would still be discussed at the next meeting of the ministerial monitoring committee in July. An official representative of the ministry declined to comment.

The Kremlin refused to comment on the accusations against Doha, Interfax reports. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he would not like to answer the question of whether there is any basis in these accusations. He also did not answer the question whether Russia will help Qatar, calling it incorrect. The official recalled that Russia does not interfere in the internal affairs of other states, but is interested in developing relations with the Gulf countries and advocates maintaining peace and stability there. “President Putin has repeatedly emphasized that we do not interfere and do not like it when people interfere in our affairs,” Peskov recalled. He also said that Russia values ​​​​its relations with the Persian Gulf region as a whole and with different countries separately: “Investment, trade and economic cooperation, and cooperation in quite sensitive areas are actively underway.”

When asked how the situation around Qatar could affect cooperation in the fight against terrorism, Peskov noted: “Russia, as an active participant in the general process of combating international terrorism, hopes that this situation will in no way affect the general mood and determination in the fight against terrorism , the relevance, urgency and lack of alternatives of which are demonstrated by tragic events, including the recent events in London.”

History of exacerbation

The deterioration of relations in the Middle East began with the appearance on the website of the state Qatari news agency of comments on behalf of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, about support for Iran, Hezbollah and Israel and that US President Donald Trump would not remain in power for long. Doha said the agency's website was hacked and the comments were fake and had nothing to do with the emir. However, Qatar's neighbors reacted sharply to the incident and blocked the broadcasting of Qatari media on their territories, including the Al-Jazeera TV channel. The crisis worsened after Trump's visit to the region. The AP recalls that Arab countries have long criticized Qatar for supporting radical Islamists, in particular the Sunni political movement “Muslim Brotherhood,” which is banned in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. In March 2014, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain recalled ambassadors from Doha after Qatar expressed support for Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, who ran in the elections as a Muslim Brotherhood candidate; the ambassadors then returned to Qatar, and to maritime and The air blockade of Qatar did not reach the point.

Qatar has repeatedly denied that it funds extremists. The AP notes that the country remains the key “financial backer” of the Gaza Strip, which is now led by Hamas; Hamas leader Khaled Meshal has lived in Qatar since 2012.

MOSCOW, June 5 – RIA Novosti. A diplomatic scandal erupted in the Arab world on Monday. Four states - Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE - announced in the morning the severance of diplomatic relations with Qatar, the expulsion of diplomats and ordinary citizens, and the cessation of transport links with this country. Others followed.

The reasons cited are “shaking the situation with security and stability”, actions aimed at “supporting terrorism, including terrorist groups in Yemen, such as Al-Qaeda* and *.

Qatar itself has already called the severance of diplomatic relations unjustified and rejected all accusations of interference in the affairs of other states.

The conflict between Qatar and its regional neighbors comes a week after the Gulf-US summit in Riyadh, when the Qatar News Agency posted a speech on behalf of the country's emir in support of building relations with Iran. At the summit in the capital of Saudi Arabia, the kingdom, on behalf of all the guests at the meeting, condemned Iran for its hostile policies and threatened an adequate response. Later, an official representative of the Qatari Foreign Ministry said that the agency's website was hacked, and the speech on behalf of the emir was published by hackers and had no relation to the Qatari leader.

However, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain found this denial unconvincing and continue to insist that the words about normalizing relations with Iran really belong to the emir. UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash called on Qatar to change its policy and not repeat previous mistakes in order to restore relations with its neighbors.

"Chain reaction" of a relationship breakup

Bahrain was the first to announce the severance of diplomatic relations with Qatar.

“Due to Qatar’s continued destabilization of the security and stability situation in the Kingdom of Bahrain and interference in its affairs, continued escalation and provocation in the media and support for terrorist activities ... the Kingdom of Bahrain announces the severance of diplomatic relations with the State of Qatar,” the kingdom’s official news agency said on Monday morning.

Seven countries have severed diplomatic relations with QatarFirst, the expulsion of Qatari diplomats was announced in Bahrain, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism. Later, similar measures were taken by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Yemen, Libya and the Maldives.

Following Bahrain, Egypt made a similar statement. “The government of the Arab Republic of Egypt has decided to sever diplomatic relations with Qatar due to the Qatari authorities’ continued hostile behavior towards Egypt,” said a statement from the official representative of the country’s Foreign Ministry.

Literally minutes later, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates announced the same measures, followed by Yemen and Libya.

Later, Cairo clarified that the decision to sever relations with Qatar was made “due to the continuation of the Qatari authorities’ hostile policy towards Egypt and the failure of all attempts to convince them to stop supporting terrorist organizations led by the Muslim Brotherhood.”

According to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Qatar "provides refuge to the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, against whom court decisions have been made for their involvement in terrorist attacks on Egyptian territory." Also, according to official Cairo, “Doha spreads the ideology of the Al-Qaeda* and IS* groups and supports terrorist attacks in the Sinai Peninsula.”

At the same time, Egypt called on all friendly countries, as well as Arab and international companies, to take measures to stop transport links with Qatar

The diplomats were given 48 hours

The announcement of the severance of diplomatic relations was logically followed by reports of the expulsion of diplomats. Bahrain gave Qatari diplomats forty-eight hours to leave the kingdom. Manama also suspended air and sea connections with Doha and banned Qatari citizens from visiting Bahrain, as well as prohibiting its citizens from residing in and visiting Qatar.

The UAE also gave Qatari diplomats 48 hours to leave the country, Al Arabiya TV reported. “The diplomatic mission of Qatar is given 48 hours to leave the country,” the channel quotes the text of the statement.

Ordinary citizens of Qatar are also being expelled from the Emirates. “Qatari citizens are prohibited from entering or transiting the UAE. Resident Qatari citizens, as well as visiting (UAE) residents of this country, are given a period of 14 days to leave the country for security reasons,” the statement reads. statement from official Abu Dhabi.

Saudi Arabia also announced similar measures. “Unfortunately, for security reasons, entry into Saudi Arabia and transit through its territory of all Qatari nationals is prohibited. Residents and those temporarily staying in Saudi Arabia are given 14 days to leave the country,” reads a statement published by the Saudi news agency SPA .

At the same time, Saudi Arabia confirms that it will “continue to provide all benefits and services to Qatari pilgrims.”

The sky is closed

The four countries that were the first to sever ties with Qatar decided not to limit themselves to statements and the expulsion of Qatari diplomats and ordinary citizens. Among other things, Saudi Arabia and Egypt have suspended land, air and sea communications with Qatar.

In turn, Bahrain announced the closure of the country's airspace to flights by Qatar's national carrier Qatar Airways.

“Bahrain is closing Bahrain’s airspace to Qatari aircraft... Qatar continues to support terrorism at all levels and acted to overthrow the legitimate government in Bahrain,” the kingdom’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

In the next 24 hours, they promise to stop transport links with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. “Cessation of sea and air communications with Qatar for twenty-four hours and a ban on the transit of vehicles traveling to or from Qatar,” reports Al-Arabiya TV channel, citing a statement from official Abu Dhabi.

UAE national carrier Etihad Airways has confirmed it will stop flying to Qatar. “The airline will suspend flights to and from Qatar from Tuesday morning,” noted a statement from an airline representative received by RIA Novosti.

Flydubai is suspending all flights between Dubai and Doha. “From Tuesday, June 6, 2017, all flights between Dubai and Doha will be suspended,” the company said in a statement received by RIA Novosti.

No place in Yemen

In addition to all this, Qatar is excluded from the ranks of the Arab coalition in Yemen, according to a statement from its command, which is published by the Saudi SPA agency.

An armed conflict has been ongoing in Yemen since 2014, in which, on the one hand, Houthi rebels from the Shiite Ansar Allah movement and part of the army loyal to ex-President Ali Abdullah Saleh are participating, and on the other, government troops and militias loyal to President Abd Rabb Mansour Khadi. The Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia is providing air and ground support to the authorities.

"Coalition Rule of Law Command in Yemen announces its decision to terminate the State of Qatar's participation in the coalition due to its actions aimed at supporting terrorism, including terrorist groups in Yemen such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State." , cooperation with groups involved in the coup,” the statement said. Such actions contradict the goals of the Arab coalition in Yemen, the report notes.

It came to sports

The diplomatic scandal even reached sports. The award-winning Saudi football club Al-Ahly announced the termination of the sponsorship agreement with the national airline of Qatar, Qatar Airways, Al-Arabiya TV channel reports.

“Al-Ahly announces the termination of the sponsorship agreement with Qatar Airwais,” the TV channel quoted the club’s statement.

The Al-Ahli club is part of the top league of the Saudi football championship and has repeatedly won the national championship.

Qatar

Qatar, in turn, stated that all these measures are absolutely unjustified. “We regret the decision to sever relations... These measures are not justified in any way, they are based on allegations that have no basis,” the kingdom’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

At the same time, Qatar stated that it would do everything to “resist attempts to influence Qatari society and economy.” In addition, Doha assured that the measures taken by Arab countries will not affect the lives of citizens and residents of the country.

Qatar also rejected accusations of interfering in the internal affairs of Arab countries and supporting terrorism. “The State of Qatar is a full member of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), complies with its charter, respects the sovereignty of other states and does not interfere in their internal affairs, and also fulfills its obligations to combat terrorism and extremism,” the Foreign Ministry statement said.

However, Qatar called these actions of the countries that broke off relations with it an attempt to impose their will on Doha, which “in itself is a violation of sovereignty.” “The promotion of fabricated reasons for taking measures against a brotherly state that is part of the GCC is the best proof that there are no real reasons for such actions taken jointly with Egypt,” the document notes.

The USA is ready to reconcile

Countries outside the region have already begun to respond to the situation. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, for example, said that Washington is ready to play its role in reconciling Qatar with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt.

“We, of course, call on the parties to sit down together at the negotiating table and resolve these differences,” AFP quoted Tillerson as saying in Sydney.

"If there is any role we can play in terms of helping resolve the problems, we believe it is important that the Gulf Cooperation Council remains united," the US Secretary of State said.

And one of the possible “culprits” of the crisis, Iran, expressed the opinion that the situation will not contribute to resolving crises in the Middle East.

“The era of breaking diplomatic relations and closing borders... is not the way to resolve the crisis... As I said earlier, aggression and occupation will only lead to instability,” said Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Presidential Administration Hamid Aboutalebi, as reported by Reuters.

Is it Trump's fault?

US President Donald Trump’s rhetoric towards Iran is to blame for the breakdown in diplomatic relations between Arab countries and Qatar, says Elena Suponina, advisor to the director of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies, RIAC expert.

“Behind the accusations against Qatar from the Arab monarchies there are other disagreements, primarily regarding the policy towards Iran. Qatar did not agree with the hard line that the Saudis took, considering it extremely dangerous. This caused discontent in Riyadh ", said the RIA Novosti expert.

According to her, “at the summit in Riyadh, the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim, was received coldly, which, oddly enough, was not noticed by the main guest of the summit, US President Donald Trump.” “The guest of the event was busy with his bellicose rhetoric against Iran, somehow not noticing that these statements of his were creating an even greater split not only between Iran on the one hand and the Arabs on the other, but also within the Arab world itself. This time, Donald’s rhetoric Trump caused a split even among the previously united Arab monarchies of the Persian Gulf, united in the Cooperation Council organization,” Suponina noted.

She believes that “disagreements on Iran also result in differences in many regional conflicts, such as in Yemen and Syria, where Iran’s interests are very clearly visible.”

“Trump succeeded in something that no one else had managed before - he split this organization, which until now had tried to at least outwardly show unity and not wash dirty linen in public. The only question now is whether this will stop Trump in his harsh rhetoric in relation to Iran, will it understand that this is fraught with escalation in the Near and Middle East region, or maybe this is what the Americans need, actions based on the “divide and conquer” principle,” said the adviser to the director of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies.

She noted that this situation clearly answers the question of whether it is possible to create an Arab NATO alliance. “As recent events show, no, it’s impossible, if only because they quarreled even before the Arab NATO began to be created. But this will also lead to the fact that the fight against terrorism in the region will be weakened due to these differences,” - noted the expert.

Little significance for Syria

The situation around Qatar may also have an impact on processes throughout the region, since Doha actively took part in them. However, according to Boris Dolgov, senior researcher at the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, nothing will change fundamentally with regard to the Syrian crisis.

“The confrontation between groups supported by Doha and Riyadh will continue, including armed ones. Perhaps we will see to some extent a reduction in funding from Qatar, a more veiled promotion of this funding. It is not advertised even now, especially since is not officially announced, but goes through Islamic foundations and various non-governmental organizations,” Dolgov told RIA Novosti.

Probably, the analyst believes, this funding will be reduced to some extent, but it “will continue.”

“As for the aggravation of the Syrian crisis or any impact on the military side of the Syrian conflict, I think the confrontation between Qatar and Saudi Arabia will not have much significance,” the interlocutor stated.

Dolgov argues that now, after a series of terrorist attacks in Europe, opinions are increasingly heard among politicians that it is necessary to take a closer look at the financial support received by radical groups whose “adherents” carry out terrorist attacks in Europe. In particular, consider the possible involvement of Gulf countries.

“This, in my opinion, also played a role. Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries that support it are trying to somehow distance themselves from these accusations,” the expert suggested.

Oil is in the black

According to Sberbank CIB analyst Valery Nesterov, the situation around Qatar should not significantly affect the implementation of the agreement to reduce oil production. However, as it became known on Monday, the Russian Ministry of Energy intends to discuss the situation with Qatar at a meeting of the monitoring committee on compliance with the agreement on reducing oil production by OPEC countries and other oil-producing countries

On May 25, OPEC states and other oil-producing countries decided to extend the agreement to reduce production by 9 months. The parties intend to discuss its implementation at a meeting in November. Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar are members of OPEC and are thus parties to the deal.

“From the point of view of the implementation of the agreement to reduce oil production, this should not have much of an impact. Firstly, countries that were not friends participated in this agreement both earlier and still today. Political contradictions within OPEC have always existed, and often very sharp ones.” , Nesterov told RIA Novosti.

At the same time, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain remain interested in high oil prices, the analyst believes. “Qatar is primarily an exporter of liquefied gas; as an oil-producing country and oil exporter, it is a much less visible player in the market. Therefore, even if Qatar does not comply with the terms of the agreement, which I doubt, nothing terrible will happen. This is not a country that can decide the fate of this agreement,” Nesterov added.

But, according to him, “the emergence of another source of tension, in my opinion, is a rather serious factor that will support or push prices up.” “With regard to oil prices, this situation should play a positive role. Any aggravation of the situation in the Middle East leads to a speculative increase in oil prices,” the expert noted.

Indeed, world oil prices are rising. As of 10.01 Moscow time, August futures for Brent oil are rising in price by 0.98%, to $50.44 per barrel, July futures for WTI oil are up by 1.03%, to $48.15 per barrel.

Risks for Qatar

At the same time, Qatar’s economic situation could be significantly undermined, says Saudi political scientist Ahmed al-Faraj.

“Qatar exports up to 70% of its goods, with the vast majority of them entering the country through the only land checkpoint that exists on the border with Saudi Arabia. Qatar will suffer greatly economically, considering how many trucks with goods are now stopped due to the crossing ban Saudi border,” the expert noted on Sky News Arabia.

In addition, according to him, the national air carrier of the emirate, Qatar Airways, before Riyadh’s decision, occupied the second place in terms of air traffic in Saudi Arabia, and now the airline is losing this large segment of the market.

*Terrorist organization banned in Russia

MINSK, June 6 – Sputnik. Following Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE, the authorities of the eastern part of Libya, Yemen, as well as the Maldives and Mauritius announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Qatar.

These countries accuse Doha of supporting terrorist organizations and destabilizing the situation in the Middle East.

A number of countries announced the adoption of a series of other measures, including the cessation of sea and air traffic with Qatar and the expulsion of its diplomats and citizens. The Qatari authorities expressed regret over this and called the decisions of foreign partners unfounded.

The UN is closely monitoring the situation with Qatar, with which some Middle Eastern countries broke off diplomatic relations on Monday, said the official representative of the secretary general of the world organization, Stephane Dujarric.

King's ransom

Qatar has paid up to $1 billion for the ransom of members of the royal family kidnapped in Iraq, the Financial Times writes, citing sources close to the situation.

Doha has paid for the release of 26 Qatari royals in southern Iraq and "50 militants captured by jihadists in Syria," militant commanders and government officials in the region say. Qatar has transferred money to the al-Qaeda-linked group fighting in Syria and Iranian security services.

The deal took place in April. A source close to the Qatari government said that "payments have been made."

Qatar Statement

Qatar does not intend to aggravate relations with countries that have announced the severance of all ties with Doha, Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed Abderrahman Al Thani said.

“Qatar from its own country will not take measures aimed at escalating the situation, since it believes that such problems should be resolved between fraternal states at the negotiating table,” the head of the Qatari Foreign Ministry said in an interview with Al Jazeera TV channel.

According to him, Qatar will not aggravate the situation, even despite the fact that tough unilateral measures were taken against this country, which had a negative impact on the citizens of the Gulf countries, who are connected, among other things, by family ties.

Panic in stores and traffic jams at the border

The Egyptian news portal Youm7, citing eyewitness accounts, reported that Qatari residents were rushing to buy food and drinking water on Monday. According to the portal, shelves are immediately empty after news of the closure of borders with Saudi Arabia, through which there was a large flow of food.

© AP / Doha News via AP

The media reported that the UAE and Saudi Arabia have stopped exporting sugar to Qatar. According to the agency, Qatar is heavily dependent on sugar supplies from these countries; in total, just under 100 thousand tons are imported per year. The demand for sugar is especially high during the fasting month of Ramadan.

Iran is ready to supply Qatar with all types of food products amid the cessation of supplies from the Persian Gulf countries due to a diplomatic scandal, said the head of the Iranian Association for the Import of Agricultural Products, Reza Noorani.

As Al-Jazeera TV channel reported, heavy trucks are already accumulating in the area of ​​the Saudi-Qatar border and cannot enter Qatari territory.

Interrupted flight

Qatar's national airline Qatar Airways is suspending all flights to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt on Tuesday 6 June until further notice, according to a statement on the airline's website.

“All customers booked on affected flights will be provided with alternative options, including a full refund on any unused ticket and free re-booking to a nearby Qatar Airways network destination,” the statement said.

Market reaction

The diplomatic row in the Persian Gulf has also affected the global economy: the dollar is declining on Tuesday morning amid general concerns in markets due to geopolitical tensions in the world.

The oil market also reacted to the severance of diplomatic relations between a number of Arab countries and Qatar. Prices initially jumped on fears of supply disruptions, but then began to decline as experts pointed to negligible risks of such a scenario. In addition, a number of economists pointed to the danger that due to political differences between OPEC members, the agreement on limiting production could be disrupted.

Russia's position

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had a telephone conversation with his Qatari counterpart Mohammed bin Abdel Rahman bin Jassem al Thani, the Russian Foreign Ministry reports.

“The main attention was paid to the sharp deterioration of relations between Qatar and a number of other Arab states,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement released on Monday.

“Serious concern was expressed about the emergence of a new source of tension within the Arab world. Sergei Lavrov spoke in favor of overcoming the emerging contradictions at the negotiating table, through mutually respectful dialogue in the face of unprecedented challenges, primarily the threat of terrorism,” notes the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Major Arab powers announced a severance of relations with Qatar, accusing it of financing terrorism and interfering in the internal affairs of neighboring states.

Eight countries - Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Yemen, Egypt, Libya, the Maldives and Mauritius - one after another ended diplomatic relations with Qatar.

Strict measures followed the tour of the American president.

Korrespondent.net figured out why the Gulf countries decided to isolate Qatar and what this would lead to.

What is Qatar accused of?

This is not the first time that Qatar has been criticized for its support of Islamist movements. The UAE is particularly opposed to Doha's ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas, as Abu Dhabi views them as a mortal threat to the Gulf.

Qatar has also supported and is supporting Islamist parties and rebel groups in various conflicts, including Libya and Syria.

He is considered the most aggressive ally of Islamist groups in Syria seeking to topple the regime of Bashar al-Assad. Critics say it is indirectly helping al-Qaeda-linked groups such as Tahrir al-Sham.

Assistance was provided in the form of ransom payments for the release of hostages.

Regionally, Doha has forged closer ties with Turkey, which has similar principles in supporting Islamist groups in Syria. A Turkish military base has opened in Qatar.

Qatar acknowledges that its position on political Islam differs from that of its neighboring states and notes that it supports organizations that are widely popular among the masses.

Qatar denies supporting armed terrorist groups.

The last straw for its disgruntled neighbors was the $1 billion ransom that Doha paid to the Iranians and jihadists for the release of members of the royal family kidnapped during a hunt.

According to the Financial Times, about 400 million euros ended up in Iran, 300 million were to be received through Hezbollah by Iraqi militants, and the rest by the Syrian group Tahrir al-Sham, associated with al-Qaeda.

The countries of the region considered this story a cover for financing terrorists and a betrayal of the pan-Sunni cause.

In addition, observers note that the reason for the sudden isolation of Qatar could be the discontent of Saudi Arabia.

Riyadh claims leadership in the region, but wealthy Qatar has an independent policy and wants to mediate in numerous conflicts in the Gulf.

Doha also maintained ties with Iran and was the only Sunni country to congratulate Hassan Rouhani on his recent re-election as president.

How the Gulf countries responded

On June 5, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were the first to announce the severance of diplomatic relations with Qatar.

Bahrain announced attempts to interfere in domestic politics, destabilize the situation in the region and finance Iranian-backed terrorist groups.

The country announced the cessation of sea and air communications and the expulsion of all diplomats. In addition, Bahrain will expel all Qatari citizens in the next 14 days and ban its citizens from visiting the country.

Saudi Arabia took the same measures, explaining its decision as protection against terrorism and extremism.

Yemen and Libya, also suffering from civil war, joined the demarche.

The United Arab Emirates cited Qatar as destabilizing the region and creating security threats.

Egypt has directly accused Qatar of financing and supporting the Islamic State, al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood.

Mauritius and the Maldives also joined the blockade.

The scandal in the Persian Gulf broke out two days after Donald Trump's visit.

Last month, the Qatari state news agency published a statement purportedly made by Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in which he expressed support for the Muslim Brotherhood and offered peace to Iran.

Doha claims that the agency was then subjected to a hacker attack. But Saudi Arabia and the UAE did not believe Qatar's words.

Soon, countries in the region banned the broadcast of Qatari media. It should be noted that the Al-Jazeera channel is used by Qatar to undermine the influence of Saudi Arabia.

Worsening after Trump's visit

The intensification of the conflict between the US's Middle Eastern allies, which began in 2014, occurred immediately after President Donald Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia.

During this visit, he reaffirmed Riyadh's leadership role in combating Iranian interference in the Arab world.

Trump's tour was designed to unite American allies in countering Iranian influence and in the fight against radical Sunni groups.

Speaking to the heads of 55 Muslim states invited by the host party, Trump called for special attention to be paid to the problem of financing terrorism and extremism.

Trump in Saudi Arabia / EPA

Thus allowing the Gulf countries to isolate their independent neighbor.

Qatar produces oil and gas in the north of its territories together with Iran. Doha prides itself on its neutral status and hosts officials from organizations considered terrorist by many other states.

But according to Qatar's critics, neutral mediation has gradually turned into support for groups that actively act against the interests of the Sunni Gulf states.

Some observers note that America has no intention of excluding Qatar from the list of allies - the Al-Udeid airbase, owned by the US Regional Central Command, remains, as well as the largest investment of any country.

However, on June 6, Trump supported the isolation of Qatar. Traditionally, on Twitter, he first commented on the demarches of the Persian Gulf countries.

"During my recent trip to the Middle East, I stated that there can be no more funding for radical ideology. Leaders pointed to Qatar - look!" Trump wrote.

He also noted that Qatar's isolation could mark the beginning of the end of the "horror of terrorism."

Extremism, and all reference was pointing to Qatar. Perhaps this will be the beginning of the end to the horror of terrorism!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)