Gulf Crisis: Iran, Turkey, Qatar cement commercial ties

Iran and Turkey Sunday bolstered commercial ties with Qatar, isolated by its regional neighbors over alleged support for terrorism, under an agreement signed Sunday.

The agreement underlines greater cooperation between the three coungtries, announced the Iranian state television.

According to the media, the agreement provides for the creation of a “joint working group to facilitate the transit of goods between the three countries”.

The signing countries could now export goods across borders easily, the media further notes.

The Sunday move further enables Qatar to break its isolation by neighboring countries and regional allies.

Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt on June 5 severed ties with Qatar, cutting off air, sea and ground links. The action disrupted Qatar’s importation roads; cutting off the country’s food needs supply.

The boycotting countries accuse Doha of cozying up to Iran and sponsoring terrorism. Turkey on the other hand ramped up its military presence in the Gulf country under military deal between the two countries.

Doha re-established diplomatic channels with Iran after cutting down ties following an attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran early last year.

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