Qatar emir thanks Iran for support in Gulf crisis

DOHA: Qatar’s ruler on Thursday personally thanked Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani for his country’s support during an almost year-long Gulf crisis, which has seen the emirate cut adrift by neighbouring former allies. In a telephone conversation, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and the Iranian leader also discussed ways of “boosting” relations between the two countries, according to a statement from Qatar News Agency. The emir “expressed his gratitude to the Iranian president for Iran’s stance towards the siege imposed on Qatar and its contribution to alleviate its economic impacts, particularly by opening its airspace and territorial waters”, said QNA. Qatar was abruptly cut off by a group of Saudi Arabian-led countries last June, in part because of distrust over its warming relationship with Iran, Riyadh’s great regional rival.