Trump wants Qatar-Gulf row to end as it 'benefits Iran'

By Safvan Allahverdi

WASHINGTON (AA) - President Donald Trump wants the dispute between Qatar and Gulf nations to be resolved, as it only “benefits Iran”, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday.

Pompeo spoke at a meeting with Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Washington, thanking Al Thani for Qatar’s "strategic partnership and friendship" with the U.S., State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a press statement.

Emphasizing Qatar’s efforts on counterterrorism and countering terrorism financing, Nauert said the top diplomat also discussed a range of regional and bilateral topics with his Qatari counterpart.

In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain severed diplomatic and trade ties with Doha, accusing it of supporting terrorism.

The four states have threatened Qatar with additional sanctions if it fails to meet a list of demands, including one for the closure of broadcaster Al-Jazeera.

Qatar, however, has refused to comply, denying the accusations against it and describing the Saudi-led embargo as a “breach of its national sovereignty”.

The crisis is unprecedented in inter-Arab relations and has resulted in the four countries imposing a land, sea and air blockade on Qatar.