Saudi Arabia, along with close allies, Egypt, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has resumed diplomatic and economic relations with Qatar.
In 2017, the strategic partnership between these nations came to a chaotic end. Saudi Arabia, supported by its above-mentioned allies, accused Qatar of funding radical Islamic terrorist groups across the Middle East and condemned the growing Iran-Qatar relationship. As a result, trade and travel to Qatar from these Arab states was halted indefinitely.
The current Middle Eastern ‘Cold War’ between Saudi Arabia and Iran has resulted in a number of proxy conflicts in the region. It was therefore no surprise that the cosy relations between Qatar and Iran would lead to an increase in tensions in the region, already one of the most volatile in the world.
Earlier this week, at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, there was a thawing of relations between Qatar and Saudi Arabia and the conflict seems to have been resolved, for now. In attendance were representatives from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Oman, and Kuwait. The presence of Jared Kushner, a Senior Adviser to outgoing US President, Donald Trump, did not go unnoticed, nor was it coincidental.
The Trump administration was instrumental in mediating the diplomatic crisis between the Gulf states. Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed Bin Salman emphasised the need for collective action against the Iranian nuclear programmes, echoing statements already made by the Trump administration and clearly displaying US influence among GCC members.
A reconciled Arab coalition will be a crucial starting block for incoming US President-Elect Joe Biden, who will seek to deter Iranian aggression and reduce tensions in the Gulf.
Image by apriltan18 from Pixabay (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)