Following call 8 Sept between leaders of Saudi Arabia and Qatar to discuss ongoing diplomatic rift, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman 9 Sept suspended dialogue with Qatar, accusing it of “distorting the facts”. U.S. President Trump 7 Sept offered to mediate.

Amid ongoing Gulf diplomatic crisis, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman 17 Aug reopened air routes to Qatar and land border, closed since 5 June, to allow Qatari pilgrims to travel to Mecca for annual Hajj pilgrimage, and said he would send private jets to transport pilgrims at his own expense. Saudi state carrier 20 Aug claimed Qatar ignored its requests to land in Doha to collect pilgrims; Qatar denied allegation. Govt 24 Aug restored ambassador to Iran. Govt told Chadian diplomats to leave country after Chad accused Qatar of trying to destabilise country and told its diplomats to leave (see Chad).

Saudi-led coalition blockading Qatar since early June 2 July extended by two days deadline for govt to meet thirteen demands issued 23 June; FM 4 July rejected demands as “unrealistic”. Govt 17 July accused United Arab Emirate (UAE) of breaking international law following reports UAE allegedly behind late-May hacking of Qatar state news agency, which helped prompt crisis. Saudi-led coalition 18 July urged Qatar to adhere to six principles including combating extremism and terrorism, first released 5 July, rather than meet thirteen demands. U.S. Sec State Tillerson 21 July said Gulf states should lift blockade after praising Qatar for signing anti-terror memorandum with U.S. 11 July. Blockading nations 25 July added eighteen entities with alleged ties to Qatar to terrorism blacklist first released 8 June, and 30 July reiterated initial thirteen demands. Saudi FM same day described alleged Qatari call to internationalise Muslim holy sites as “a declaration of war against the kingdom”; Qatar denied making call.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Yemen broke off diplomatic ties and closed transport links and borders with Qatar 5 June, accusing it of destabilising region by supporting Islamist groups including Muslim Brotherhood and cosying up to Iran. Blockading countries began expelling Qatari diplomats and residents. Libya, Maldives and Mauritania also later broke off diplomatic ties. Turkey sided with Qatar, sending humanitarian aid and 18 June deploying more troops to its base in Qatar to undertake military exercises. Iran sent five aeroplanes carrying food. Saudi Arabia-led bloc 23 June issued ultimatum via Kuwait that Qatar should meet thirteen demands in ten days to ease isolation; demands included to close down Al Jazeera broadcaster, scale back cooperation with Iran, close Turkish military base and end contact with groups such as Muslim Brotherhood. Qatar said demands unrealistic.