Three Gulf Arab countries – Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates – broke diplomatic relations with Qatar in mid-2017 after being accused of supporting terrorism. Qatar has repeatedly denied the allegations.
The boycotted countries, known as the Arab Quartet, also cited political differences with Qatar over Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood. Doha, unlike its Gulf neighbors, has friendly relations with Tehran, has supported the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and hosted groups linked to the Islam religion group.
The agreement was signed during the Gulf Cooperation Council summit in the Saudi city of Al-Ulla, where Qatar’s leader Amir Sheikh Tamim Al Thani met former regional enemies.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received Sheikh Tamim, who set foot on Saudi soil for the first time since the onset of the crisis, on the airport’s tarmac. The two leaders embraced, and the warm welcome photos were widely shared on regional social media.
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