Qatar invited by Saudi Arabia to talks over Iran tensions
Qatar said on Sunday that it had received an invitation from Saudi Arabia to attend emergency regional talks to discuss mounting tensions between Iran and the United States.
Riyadh had called two gatherings — one for Arab League members, the other for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) regional bloc nations — after a spate of attacks.
Several tankers in Gulf waters were targeted under mysterious circumstances and a Saudi crude pipeline was hit by drone strikes coordinated by Yemen rebels who Riyadh said were acting on Iranian orders.
King Salman had invited Gulf leaders and Arab League members to summits in Makkah on May 30 but it was not stated if Qatar was also invited to the Arab bloc deliberations.
Read: Saudi Arabia calls urgent Gulf, Arab League meetings over tensions
It was unclear if Qatar — subject to a Saudi-led economic and diplomatic boycott over alleged support for Iran and militant movements — would be invited at all, with Doha initially reporting it had not received an invite.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt have imposed an economic and diplomatic boycott on Qatar since June 2017 over allegations that Doha supports terrorism and is cosying up to regional foe Iran. Qatar denies the charges.
Qatar's emir "has received a written message" inviting the government to join the crisis talks, the government's information office said in a statement.
The invitation was received by Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani during a meeting with the secretary general of the GCC, it added.
Al-Thani has previously called for a "dialogue" between Iran and the United States to resolve the crisis between their countries.
Comments (29) Closed
Good development.
They need to be friends.
This is a very sensible development. All Muslim countries must unite in this hour of grave crisis engulfing them and all personal grievances must be left behind to first tackle this fast aggravating dangerous matter, as the foremost priority.
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Good decision by Saudi Arabia.
Very Good Move by Qatar
These tensions are created by USA and Israel and They are the aggressors who should back off. The American Mentality is always ro start a war and involve other nations then blame them for USA failure.
What's the point? All these Middle Eastern kingdoms are in fact themselves the real backers of extremism and terrorism, including Qatar.
Live and let other live.
An icebreaker which Qatar must not squander and grab with both hands.
@M. Saeed, .... Care to explain? You are being very vague.
It's a good news to know that Saudi Arabia has invited Qatar to talk over at this critical juncture to peacefully settled the issues among themselves in order to avoid war like situation in the region.
All matters should be solved through dialouge as war has never been an achievement in the past and will never solve the purpose in the future.
Other Arab Countries who have been boycotting Qatar on issues should also welcome Qatar in the conference to bring to an end any differences between them.
@M. Saeed, Saudis just have a need, hence invited. Friendly relations, NOT!
@M. Saeed, But the same is not being done to Uighur Muslims.
Why do Arabs think Iran is an enemy? Just because US tells them so?
@Tarique Paul,
Agreed! And this going on since the last 6 decades..
Muslim country must be united, the only way to stop USA to come to play there dirty gamin our region
Now Qatar should play constructive role to minimize the gulf tensions.
A very sensible step by KSA, Qatar must avail.
So called Muslim/Arab countries they have no choice they all ruled by the USA. Estimated number of USA troops protecting the Royal families or Kings.
Kuwait: 15,000 Qatar: 10,1000 Bahrain: 5,000 Irag: 5165 UAE: 200 Jordan: 1500 UAE: 200 Saudi Arabia: 379 Air Expeditionary Wing are based in Saudi Arabia (number unavailable) Oman: Number unavailable.
How it could be good development.
Good move talk to Qatar and Yemen.. no war please.
The Saudi's always invite you over to their party.
But then you may never be heard from again. I mean Khashoggi just happens to be a famous recent example, but who has heard from other invitees..?
Good step by Crown of KSA. Need unity of muslim ummah
Great
Qatar has no diplomatic relation, and must not attend to be used as pawn in an upcoming insane war just like Yemen conflict! What happened Qatar’s unilateral isolation?
@M. Siddique, It's not a general Arab thing. Kindly study history and politics of the middle east to full understand that this is mainly Saudi Arabia waging proxy wars on Iran and it may run deeper than sectarian issues but sectarian division play an important role too. Yemen is being held hostage by the Saudis who are waging war there now and the US follows what the Saudis say because of oil and money. Money makes the world go around. Any major problem has a money trail.
@Tarique Paul, The US is only marching to saudi orders. You clearly dont know that this is saudi propogating and waging war against iran. Have you completely missed the bad blood between the two nations? This has been wellcovered in both history books and news from both eastern and western outlets. Dont blame this one on the US who are just slaves to oil and money. The credit lies with the saudis. Sadly.
@Daskalos,
AGREE! You have no idea, how true your comment is. Most of the comments are busy blaming this on the US or isreal completely discounting the fact that the war on iran is waged by the saudis who have been battling a proxy war against iran in Yemen with mass civilian casualties and as that didnt do the job, now they are getting their slave the US to threaten with sanctions again. The saudis are indeed responsible for the extremism in our world today and every conflict in some way leads back to them.
new effort to cement the failed Arab NATO strategy
@Syed A. Mateen , Qatar is not boycotted. Qatar has a diplomatic relation cut from some countries, there is a difference. The diplomatic relations cut is done politically to ensure that the countries who cut their relationship with Qatar are living in peace.