After six years of strained relations, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar declared reopening their diplomatic missions on Monday, a sign of eased tensions after the Gulf blockade from 2017 to 2021.
The announcement came via the UAE’s official WAM news agency, stating that the two prosperous monarchies will resume operations at their respective embassies in Doha and Abu Dhabi and at Qatar’s consulate in Dubai. Qatar’s foreign ministry released a similar statement.
The restoration of formal ties began in January 2021, following the end of the nearly four-year-long blockade, which saw Qatar isolated due to accusations from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt. The countries alleged that Qatar supported extremist groups and was becoming increasingly close to Iran, charges that Doha has consistently denied.
The reopening of the diplomatic missions aligns with an overall de-escalation of Gulf tensions. In March, Saudi Arabia and Iran declared the end of their seven-year diplomatic severance. More recently, Qatar and neighboring Bahrain resolved their longstanding feud in April to renew their diplomatic relationship.
The easing of relations between the Sunni-dominated kingdom and Shia Iran seems significant, considering their longstanding competition for regional influence, often backing opposing sides in conflicts, including Yemen. This rapprochement was further demonstrated when Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan met with Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi this past Saturday. Iran reopened its embassy in Riyadh earlier this month.
