Tajik journalist Nourali Davlat says there are at least three possible reasons for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt to cut ties with Qatar.
As it had been reported earlier, Bahrain, UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia announced early on Monday that they cut ties with Qatar, citing ‘terrorism’ and ‘extremism.’
Nourali Davlat says there are both economic and ideological reasons for those four Arab nations to cut ties with Qatar.
“One of the reasons is most likely the economic one,” said Davlat. “Doha and Riyadh have disputes regarding development of new gas and oil deposits.”
“Besides, Saudi Arabia, whose positions have been strongly shaken in the Islamic world, will never make up its mind to increasing authority of Iran,” Tajik journalist noted.
According to him, Egypt will never forgive Iran for its decision to name a street in Tehran after Khalid Ahmed Showky Al-Islambouli, assassinator of Anwar Sadat.
The Iranian Government, in response to Sadat's peace treaty with Israel, and his provision of asylum to the deposed Shah of Iran, severed relations with Egypt and named a street in Tehran after Islambouli in 1981 in honor of his actions. Following Islambouli's execution, Iran's Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini declared him a martyr.
Recall, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain have broken off diplomatic relations and all land sea and air contacts with Qatar, accusing it of destabilizing the region.
Saudi Arabia on Monday said the move was necessary to protect the kingdom from what it described as terrorism and extremism. The kingdom also pulled all Qatari troops from the coalition fighting the ongoing war in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia reportedly cut all land air and sea contacts with Qatar “and urges all brotherly countries and companies to do the same.” Despite the order for the border with Qatar to be closed, Saudi Arabia said that it will continue to provide all services and facilities needed by Qatari pilgrims currently in the Kingdom.
The decision comes after Qatar alleged in late May that it was the victim of a sophisticated propaganda assault including the publication of a series of articles hostile to Qatar in the US and the hacking of the Qatar government website in a bid to undermine its standing in the Gulf and in Washington.
The hacking of the website led to the publication of false remarks by the emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, that purportedly had him criticizing some leaders of fellow Gulf Arab states and calling for an easing of tensions with Iran. Qatar claimed there was “a hostile media campaign against the State of Qatar.”
In response to the alleged comments by the emir, Saudi Arabia and the UAE both blocked Qatari-based news outlets, including Al Jazeera, from broadcasting in their territory.
The UAE cut ties with Qatar on Monday, accusing its Gulf Arab neighbor of supporting extremism and undermining regional stability. The Emirates gave diplomats 48 hours to leave the country, citing their “support, funding and embrace of terrorist, extremist and sectarian organizations.”
Egypt said it was severing ties over Qatar's support for terrorist groups.
Bahrain said on Monday it cut diplomatic relations with Qatar, accusing its fellow Gulf Arab state of backing terrorism and interfering in Bahrain's internal affairs.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson gave a statement on Monday while on a state visit in Australia, urging the Gulf states to stay united. “We certainly would encourage the parties to sit down together and address these differences,” he said in Sydney, according to Al Jazeera.
“If there's any role that we can play in terms of helping them address those, we think it is important that the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] remain united.” Tillerson said.
