Qatar Restores Full Diplomatic Relations With Iran

Qatar has restored full diplomatic relations with Iran, disregarding the demands of four other Arab countries that have asked Qatar to cut ties with Tehran.

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"Qatar announced that its ambassador to Tehran will return to resume his diplomatic duties," the Qatari foreign ministry's information office said in a statement.

“The state of Qatar expressed its aspiration to strengthen bilateral relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran in all fields,” it continued. 

The information office also said that Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani spoke to his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif by telephone, discussing "bilateral relations and means of boosting and developing them."

Qatar recalled its ambassador to Tehran in early 2016 after Saudi Arabia cut ties with the Islamic Republic, a move to show support for Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia accused Iran of failing to protect its embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad against demonstrators who had ransacked them. The demonstrators were protesting Saudi Arabia’s execution of a prominent Shiite Muslim cleric convicted on terrorism charges.

Iran's Foreign Ministry has welcomed Doha's decision. 

"The decision is a logical and positive move by Qatar," Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said.

"Iran is prepared to have better ties with its neighbors based on the mutual respect and mutual interests," he added.

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Qatar’s decision comes amid a current crisis between Doha and fellow Gulf Cooperation Council members Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, which together with Egypt cut ties to Qatar in June. 

The boycotting countries accused Doha of funding extremists and being "too close" to Iran, which Qatar denies. They later issued a list of 13 demands to Qatar, including that Doha shut its diplomatic posts in Iran. Qatar ignored the demands and let a deadline to comply pass.

There was no immediate reaction from the Arab nations boycotting Qatar to this latest development. 

Since the diplomatic dispute, Iran has sent food shipments to Qatar and allowed the country's national carrier to use its airspace. Iran also renewed its criticism of the Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia over the crisis, part of the two Mideast powers’ long-running conflict.