Iran and the GCC-Qatar crisis
Middle East analysts say if the Gulf crisis goes on it will empower Iran in the region [Reuters]
(Aqsa Sajjad) - South Pars/North Dome, the world’s largest natural gas field lies deep in the Gulf waters between Qatar and Iran. The ownership of the gas field and the resulting wealth from oil exports is pretty much shared between the two countries. Iran owns the South Pars while Qatar owns the North Dome. This is one of the factors that bind the countries together.
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But Qatar’s good relations with Iran were put to test earlier this month when Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Egypt, along with a few other countries, cut off diplomatic ties with the tiny gulf nation, accusing it of undermining security in the Gulf by maintaining friendly relations with Iran. Saudi Arabia also accused Qatar of supporting “Iranian-backed terrorist groups” in the Saudi province of Qatif and in Bahrain. Riyadh also claimed that Qatar supports Iran-backed Houthi rebels fighting in Yemen. This accusations comes despite an estimated 1000 Qatari troops deployed in Yemen to support the Saudi-led alliance against the Houthi rebels. Qatar has rejected these claims and called them “completely fabricated”.
Ironically, as pointed out by Al Jazeera senior political analyst Marwan Bishara, Abu Dhabi also maintains diplomatic ties with Tehran and yet it prefers to server its relations with Qatar rather than with Iran.
To several analysts, the aim of the diplomatic isolation of Qatar seems simple: to “rein Qatar in” and make it “another Bahrain” as stated by Souzan Krdli, a Tehran-based Gulf analyst. Qatar’s divergence from the diplomatic policy followed by other gulf nations has always irked Saudi Arabia. Qatar’s independent foreign policy is what seems to be what brought about this rift.
Qatar is compelled to maintain good relations with Iran in the midst of this dispute owing to the shared gas fields between the two countries where most of Qatar’s wealth originates from.
A rift between the Gulf countries can be beneficial to Iran. Saudi Arabia is Qatar’s largest trading partner. Along with Turkey, Iran can fill this void left by the crisis. Iran was already quick to react by offering food shipments. Reza Nourani, chairman of Iran s union of agricultural exporters, said such transfers can reach Doha in 12 hours.
Iran s foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi has released a statement, urging the Gulf countries to solve the crisis via dialogue. The Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif also tweeted soon after the crisis took place.
Neighbors are permanent; geography can t be changed. Coercion is never the solution. Dialog is imperative, especially during blessed Ramadan
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) June 5, 2017
If the crisis escalates, it won’t be surprising to see Iran empowered in the region. Saudi Arabia does not want this. If mediation efforts fail, the crisis would take an even more dangerous turn for the Gulf countries.
Written by Aqsa Sajjad
