JEDDAH: As the diplomatic crisis in the Gulf entered its seventh day with Doha failing to gain support from major world powers, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani visited Moscow Saturday.
But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov took a neutral stand and called for dialogue to resolve the crisis. He said: “We cannot be happy in a situation when the relations between our partners are worsening. We are in favor of resolving any disagreements through... dialogue.”
Riyadh, meanwhile, stressed that an immediate change of policy by Qatar is essential.
“Fighting terrorism and extremism is no longer a choice, rather... a commitment requiring decisive and swift action to cut off all funding sources for terrorism regardless of its financier,” the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) cited an official source as saying.
Yousef Al-Otaiba, UAE ambassador to the US, told the official WAM news agency: “The next step is for Qatar to acknowledge these concerns and commit to reexamine its regional policies. This will provide the necessary basis for any discussions.”
Bahrain “stressed the necessity of Qatar’s commitment to correct its policies and to engage in a transparent manner in counter-terrorism efforts,” its official BNA news agency said.
Meanwhile, the EU is talking to all sides directly involved in the diplomatic crisis with two messages: Avoid any further escalation and engage in a political dialogue, in particular taking advantage of Kuwaiti mediation efforts, said a top EU official.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he has never known Qatar to give support to terror organizations. “They declare foundations established to provide different services as terror organizations. Something like this should not happen. I know those foundations. Until today I have not witnessed Qatar give support to terror,” Erdogan said.
The Turkish leader called for the “blockade” against Doha to be “completely lifted,” urging Saudi Arabia to show leadership and encourage good relations in the region.
In another development, Qatar hired John Ashcroft, the US attorney general during the Sept. 11 attacks, as it seeks to rebut accusations from US President Donald Trump and its Arab neighbors that it supports terrorism.
— With AP, AFP, Reuters
Gulf leaders up pressure on Qatar; Russia calls for talks
Gulf leaders up pressure on Qatar; Russia calls for talks
Iran’s foreign ministry: ‘Time has come to defend the homeland’ after US-Israeli strikes
DUBAI: Iran’s Foreign Ministry responded to a joint US-Israel attack on Saturday by saying that the country “will not hesitate” in its response to the strikes.
In a statement posted on X, the ministry said: “The time has come to defend the homeland and confront the enemy’s military assault.”
Iran said it will “respond decisively” after Israel and the United States launched strikes on the country despite talks underway on Tehran’s nuclear program.
“The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will respond decisively to the aggressors,” a foreign ministry said in a statement, insisting Iran had done “everything necessary to prevent war.”
“Just as we were ready for negotiations, we are now more prepared than ever to defend the Iranian nation,” it said.
The US and Israel launched a major attack on targets across Iran on Saturday, and US President Donald Trump called on the Iranian people to “take over your government” — an extraordinary appeal that suggested the allies could be seeking to end of the country’s theocracy after decades of tensions.
The first strikes of the attack appeared to target the compound home to Iran’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in downtown Tehran. It wasn’t immediately clear if he was there at the time. Smoke could be seen rising from the Iranian capital.
“For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted Death to America and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder, targeting the United States, our troops and the innocent people in many, many countries,” Trump said in a video posted on social media that sought to justify the attacks.
He urged Iranians to take cover during the strikes, but then: “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take.”
