Qatar restores diplomatic relations with Iran

by Rebecca Savransky - 08/24/17 7:40 AM ET

Qatar announced Thursday its plans to restore full diplomatic relations with Iran.

“The state of Qatar expressed its aspirations to strengthen bilateral relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran in all fields,” the Qatari Foreign Ministry said in a statement, according to CNN.

The statement said the foreign ministers from the countries talked Thursday about “bilateral relations.”

{mosads}They also spoke of a “number of issues of common concern.”

The move will likely upset the country’s Arab neighbors, CNN reported.

One of the main requests on Qatar for lifting a boycott by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt included cutting relations with Tehran.

Earlier this year, those four nations imposed a de facto blockade against Qatar over allegations of funding terrorism, as well as its relations with Iran.

Trump took credit for the Gulf nations’ move, saying that his speech in Saudi Arabia calling on Muslim countries to unite against terrorism and Iran was the impetus for their decision.

He also bashed Qatar as “a funder of terrorism, and at a very high level.”

Last month, the U.S. and Qatar signed an agreement outlining future efforts to disrupt terrorist financing.

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