Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain And Egypt Cut Ties With Qatar For Supporting ‘Iran-Backed Terror Outfits’

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE have cut diplomatic relations and all land, sea and air contacts with Qatar, accusing the country of backing “terrorist outfits aiming to destabilise the region,” including “Iranian-backed terrorist groups”, and interfering in the affairs of the other Gulf states.

Saudi Arabia's official state news agency, citing an official source, said the kingdom had decided to sever diplomatic and consular relations with Qatar "proceeding from the exercise of its sovereign right guaranteed by law and the protection of national security from the dangers of terrorism and extremism".

The four Arab states have reportedly given Qatari diplomats 48 hours to leave and have called back their diplomatic staff from Doha. Saudi Arabia has said that Qatari troops would be pulled from its ongoing war in Yemen.

The dispute between Qatar and the other Arab countries started over a purported hack of Qatar’s state-run news agency. Qatar alleged in late May that hackers took over the site of its state-run news agency and published what it called fake comments from its ruling emir about Iran and Israel. Its Gulf Arab neighbours responded with anger, blocking Qatari-based media, including Al Jazeera.