Saudi FM says allies 'on board' for resolution of Gulf crisis

Published
33
“We are in full coordination with our partners in this process and the prospects that we see are very positive towards a final agreement,” said Prince Faisal on Gulf crisis resolution. — AFP
“We are in full coordination with our partners in this process and the prospects that we see are very positive towards a final agreement,” said Prince Faisal on Gulf crisis resolution. — AFP

A resolution of the Gulf diplomatic crisis is in sight, with all nations involved “on board” and final agreement expected soon, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told AFP on Saturday.

Until recently the three-year dispute — pitting a group of regional nations against Qatar — had appeared intractable, but Prince Faisal said in an interview on the sidelines of a security conference in Bahrain that a breakthrough was imminent.

“We are in full coordination with our partners in this process and the prospects that we see are very positive towards a final agreement,” he told AFP, adding that “the eventual resolution will involve all parties concerned”.

“What we envision is a resolution that covers all aspects and is satisfactory to all parties involved,” he said when asked whether the dispute was headed for a full settlement, adding that it would happen “soon”.

Saudi Arabia led its allies the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt to cut ties with Qatar in June 2017, saying it was too close to Iran and funding radical movements — charges it staunchly denies.

They subsequently forced out Qataris residing in their countries, closed their airspace to Qatari aircraft and sealed their borders and ports, separating some mixed-nationality families.

Analysts had said that any breakthrough would likely only extend to ties between Riyadh and Doha, excluding the UAE in particular, which has been the most vocal critic of Qatar since the crisis began.

Prince Faisal indicated however that a much broader thaw is being negotiated — although Abu Dhabi and Manama have yet to weigh in on the progress of efforts to resolve the crisis.

In the interview, Prince Faisal also set out the region's intentions on the prospects of a new US nuclear agreement with Iran, following president-elect Joe Biden's defeat of President Donald Trump.

He said that the Gulf states must be fully consulted if the process is revived, warning it is the only path towards a sustainable agreement.

“Primarily what we expect is that we are fully consulted, that we and our other regional friends are fully consulted in what goes on, vis-a-vis the negotiations with Iran,” he said.

As Saudi Arabia looks ahead to building a relationship with the incoming US administration, the minister said he was confident Biden's pledge to turn the kingdom into a “pariah” over its human rights failings was just election talk.

“I think electioneering brings out all kinds of comments, and I'll leave them at that,” he said.

Prince Faisal also indicated the kingdom would maintain relations with [US President Donald] Trump — after four years of extremely warm ties, notably between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

“The kingdom always remembers its friends,” he said. “And of course we will continue to have, I'm sure, friendly contacts with [US] President [Donald] Trump.“

Opinion

Editorial

Need for dialogue
06 Aug, 2026

Need for dialogue

THE interior minister’s comments at an Islamabad seminar last week have sparked many a conversation about the ...
Bad press
06 Aug, 2026

Bad press

THE government’s move to impose restrictions on international media will not only alienate the foreign press, it...
Automobile concerns
06 Aug, 2026

Automobile concerns

PAKISTAN’S automobile industry is at a critical juncture. Sharp cuts in tariffs on the import of completely built...
State of confusion
Updated 05 Aug, 2026

State of confusion

FROM the looks of it, America has no exit strategy to extricate itself from the disastrous war with Iran. US...
Pension decision
05 Aug, 2026

Pension decision

THE government’s decision to formally operationalise the new Defined Contribution Pension Fund Scheme is a step...
Preventable deaths
05 Aug, 2026

Preventable deaths

THE deaths of 144 children from measles and diphtheria in Karachi during the first seven months of the year expose a...