UAE & Qatar to reopen respective embassies and restore diplomatic ties first time since 2017

Dubai/ Tehran – The UAE and Qatar have followed the steps of Saudi Arabia and Iran to establish political cooperation and reiterated the same decision. UAE and Qatar have announced to reopen respective embassies in the next few days. Thus, a positive change is being claimed in Middle East politics. Despite this, the differences between Saudi and Iran on the issue of Qassem Soleimani and terrorism are still emerging.

Moreover, the Foreign Ministers of UAE and Qatar held a telephone discussion on Monday. Both countries have agreed to improve relations. Under this, both countries will soon start each other operations of their respective embassies in their respective cities. Qatar’s embassy and consulate in Dubai will begin in UAE’s capital Abu Dhabi. In addition, UAE’s embassy shall begin in Qatar’s capital Doha; the Foreign Ministries of both countries announced.

Furthermore, UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia imposed sanctions on Qatar in 2017, alleging that Qatar promotes terrorism. The Arab countries alleged that Qatar uses international Arab news channels of its influence to propagate terrorist organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and Hamas in Palestine. These Arab countries had boycotted Qatar by closing their embassy in Qatar.

However, other Arab-friendly countries, alongside Saudi, lifted the restrictions on Qatar last January. After this, the heads of Arab countries visited Qatar. But, the decision to start an embassy there was not taken by the Arab countries. After establishing Saudi-Iranian cooperation two months ago, the Arab countries have also increased their activities to improve relations with Qatar. The UAE and Qatar’s decision to reopen the embassy forms is a part of this as well.

Meanwhile, the Saudi-Iran cooperation is gaining momentum. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan also visited Iran on Sunday and met President Ibrahim Raisi. The Saudi Foreign Minister has visited Iran for the first time in the last seven years. The issue of improving relations between the two countries was discussed during this time. Holding a meeting of the top leaders of both countries is also claimed to have been discussed during this period.

After this, the Saudi Foreign Minister met Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. HoweverBut, after this, the Saudi Foreign Minister showed a stubborn attitude in front of the media. The Saudi foreign minister refused to address the media from the room where the photo of Qasem Soleimani, the former head of Iran’s Quds Forces, was being held. Iran also accepted the demand of Prince Faizal and organized a negotiation council in another room. It explains the differences between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Iran has accepted the demand of the Saudi Foreign Minister without dragging the matter too much, but considering Qasem Soleimani a national hero of Iran is unacceptable and can’t be compromised upon; Saudi Arabia seems to be conveying this to Iran.