Iran becomes Qatar’s sole breathing space as tensions escalate
Several Iranian news outlets and social media users have noted the increasing number of Qatar flights over Iran following the worsening of ties between Doha and four Arab states.
According to Trend news, Some social media users say Iran has turned into “Qatar’s sole breathing space” as the surrounding states have decided to close air and sea transport links to Qatar.
Iranian and Qatari aviation organizations were not available for comment, but FlightAware’s map of Qatar Airways flights shows a large number of Qatar flights over Iran.
Doha’s Arab neighbors of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain are likely to fully shut down their airspace to Qatar since Tuesday morning local time.
Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE severed ties with Qatar on Monday over Doha’s support for the Muslim Brotherhood, the world’s oldest Islamist movement, and also its ties with Saudis’ arch-rival Iran, sparking off simmering dispute in the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Iran has called on the sides to resolve the issue through talks with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeting “coercion is never the solution”.
Iran in the meantime has expressed its readiness to export food to Qatar through sea.
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