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 Qatar restored full diplomatic relations with Iran on Thursday, disregarding the demands of Arab nations now locked in a regional dispute with the energy-rich country that it lessen its ties to Tehran.In announcing its decision, Qatar did not mention the diplomatic crisis roiling Gulf Arab nations since June, when it found its land, sea and air routes cut off by its neighbours over Doha’s policies across the Mideast.The move comes just days after Saudi Arabia began promoting a Qatari royal family member whose branch of the family was ousted in a palace coup in 1972.“Qatar has shown it is going to go in a different direction,” said Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a research fellow at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University who lives in Seattle. “It could very well be calculated toward reinforcing the point that Qatar will not bow to this regional pressure placed upon it.”Qatar’s Foreign Ministry announced early on Thursday that the country’s ambassador would return to Tehran.Iranian state media acknowledged the development, without elaborating. Despite recalling its ambassador in 2016, Iran and Qatar maintained their valuable commercial ties.—AP</s>(DUBAI, United Arab Emirates) — Qatar has restored full diplomatic relations with Iran, ignoring the demands of Arab nations now trying to isolate the energy-rich country to downgrade its ties.

Qatar's Foreign Ministry announced early Thursday that the country's ambassador would return to Tehran. Qatar pulled its ambassador in early 2016 after Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric sparked attacks on two Saudi diplomatic posts in Iran.

Qatar said in a statement that the move "expressed its aspiration to strengthen bilateral relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran in all fields." Iranian state media acknowledged the development, without elaborating.

Qatar and Iran share a massive offshore natural gas field that requires communication between the two countries. Since the diplomatic dispute with Arab nations began in June, Iran has sent food shipments to Qatar.</s>Passengers of cancelled flights wait in Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, on June 5, 2017, after Saudi Arabia and other Arab powers severed diplomatic ties with Qatar and moved to isolate the energy-rich nation.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Qatar restored full diplomatic relations with Iran early Thursday, disregarding the demands of Arab nations now locked in a regional dispute with the energy-rich country that it lessen its ties to Tehran.

In announcing its decision, Qatar did not mention the diplomatic crisis roiling Gulf Arab nations since June, when Qatar found its land, sea and air routes cut off by its neighbors over Doha's policies across the Mideast.

However, the move comes just days after Saudi Arabia began promoting a Qatari royal family member whose branch of the family was ousted in a palace coup in 1972.

"Qatar has shown it is going to go in a different direction," said Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a research fellow at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University who lives in Seattle. "It could very well be calculated toward reinforcing the point that Qatar will not bow to this regional pressure placed upon it."

Qatar's Foreign Ministry announced early Thursday that the country's ambassador would return to Tehran. Qatar pulled its ambassador in early 2016 after Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric sparked attacks on two Saudi diplomatic posts in Iran, a move to show solidarity with the kingdom.

"The state of Qatar expressed its aspiration to strengthen bilateral relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran in all fields," a short Foreign Ministry statement said.

Iranian state media acknowledged the development, without elaborating.

 Despite recalling its ambassador in 2016, Iran and Qatar maintained their valuable commercial ties. Qatar and Iran share a massive offshore natural gas field, called the South Pars Field by Tehran and the North Field by Doha.

That gas field's vast reserves made Qataris have the highest per capita income in the world, as well as funded the nation's Al-Jazeera satellite news network and secured hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Since the diplomatic dispute with Arab nations began in June, Iran has sent food shipments to Qatar. Shiite power Iran also has incorporated the crisis into its regular criticism of the Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, part of the two Mideast powers' long-running proxy war.

There was no immediate reaction from the Arab nations boycotting Qatar. On Wednesday, the Central African nation of Chad announced it would close its embassy in Doha, accusing Qatar of trying to destabilize it from neighboring Libya.

The diplomatic crisis began June 5, when Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates cut ties to Qatar over allegations including it funding extremists and being too close to Iran. Qatar long has denied funding extremists.

The boycotting countries 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, creating an apparent stalemate in the crisis. Attempts by Kuwait, the U.S. and others have failed to make headway.

In recent days, however, Saudi Arabia announced it would allow Qataris to make the annual hajj pilgrimage, which is required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life. Saudi state media said that came in part due to an intercession by Qatari royal family member Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani, who met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and later a vacationing King Salman in Morocco.

But Sheikh Abdullah has no role in Qatar's government and his last position was as head of the equestrian and camel racing federation decades ago. Sheikh Abdullah's grandfather, father and brother were rulers of Qatar until a palace coup ousted his branch of the royal family in 1972 and a prominent Saudi columnist has suggested the sheikh could be the start of a Qatari government-in-exile.

Ulrichsen cautioned that so far, the Saudi moves appeared to be more needling than anything else.

"Given that a formal escalation in terms of sanctions is probably off the table for now, we're seeing this informal pressure on Qatar ... to try and perhaps stir the pot," the professor said. "I think the informal pressure is increasing because of the lack of formal alternative measures they can realistically hope to place on Qatar."</s>Qatar restored full diplomatic relations with Iran early today, disregarding the demands of Arab nations now locked in a regional dispute with the energy-rich country that it lessen its ties to Tehran.

In announcing its decision, Qatar did not mention the diplomatic crisis roiling Gulf Arab nations since June, when Qatar found its land, sea and air routes cut off by its neighbors over Doha's policies across the Mideast.

However, the move comes just days after Saudi Arabia began promoting a Qatari royal family member whose branch of the family was ousted in a palace coup in 1972.

"Qatar has shown it is going to go in a different direction," said Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a research fellow at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University who lives in Seattle.

"It could very well be calculated toward reinforcing the point that Qatar will not bow to this regional pressure placed upon it."

Qatar's Foreign Ministry announced early Thursday that the country's ambassador would return to Tehran. Qatar pulled its ambassador in early 2016 after Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric sparked attacks on two Saudi diplomatic posts in Iran, a move to show solidarity with the kingdom.

"The state of Qatar expressed its aspiration to strengthen bilateral relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran in all fields," a short Foreign Ministry statement said. Iranian state media acknowledged the development, without elaborating.

Despite recalling its ambassador in 2016, Iran and Qatar maintained their valuable commercial ties. Qatar and Iran share a massive offshore natural gas field, called the South Pars Field by Tehran and the North Field by Doha.

That gas field's vast reserves made Qataris have the highest per capita income in the world, as well as funded the nation's Al-Jazeera satellite news network and secured hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.</s>Qatar said on Thursday it will restore full diplomatic ties with Iran, in defiance of four Arab countries that have demanded Doha cuts all relations with Tehran.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, have said they will only ease a diplomatic and economic boycott on the small Gulf country after it severs its ties with Iran.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said its ambassador to Tehran will resume his diplomatic duties, 20 months after the country recalled the envoy to protest an attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran by Iranian demonstrators angered by Riyadh’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

“Qatar looks forward to strengthening ties with the Islamic republic of Iran in all fields,” read the statement, without providing a date for the envoy’s return.

The announcement was made shortly after Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdulrahman discussed with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Zarif ways to boost bilateral relations.

The move comes amid a regional dispute, which began in June when the four other countries cut ties and transportation links with Qatar because of its alleged support for terrorism, a charge that Doha denies.

It also comes one week after Saudi Arabia praised an intervention by a member of the Qatari royal family, whose brother was ousted from power by the current ruler’s grandfather.

Abdullah Ali is the brother of Ahmad Al Thani, who was the emir of Qatar from 1960 to 1972, when the current ruler Tamim Hamad’s grandfather ousted him from power.

Abdullah, who has met both Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed Salman, has been portrayed in both Saudi and Egyptian media as a possible replacement for the current ruler Tamim.

After the meeting, Saudi Arabia opened its land border with Qatar, which was closed in June, to allow Qatari pilgrims into the country ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage, set to begin on Aug. 30.

To restore relations with Qatar, the Arab quartet said it must: downgrade ties with Iran, Saudi Arabia’s regional rival; halt its support for Islamist groups; and shut down Doha-based broadcaster Al Jazeera.

In July, Saudi Arabia warned that any closer ties between Doha and Tehran “would only invite more troubles for Qatar.”</s>Qatar says will restore full diplomatic ties with Iran

“Qatar looks forward to strengthening ties with the Islamic republic of Iran in all fields.”

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Also, Like us on facebook</s>Doha: Qatar is to restore full diplomatic relations with regional power Iran, its foreign ministry announced on Thursday, in a significant move at a time of diplomatic friction within the Gulf.

A statement from the ministry said Qatar aimed to bolster relations between the two countries, which share the world's largest natural gas field.

"The State of Qatar announced today (Thursday) that its ambassador to Tehran will return to exercise its diplomatic duties," read the statement.

Qatar was also seeking to "strengthen bilateral relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran in all fields", it added.

Doha pulled its ambassador from Tehran in January 2016 following attacks on the Saudi Arabian embassy, spurred by Riyadh's decision to execute a Shiite cleric in the kingdom.

The decision to restore ties comes as Qatar is locked in a diplomatic impasse with Iran's great regional rival, Saudi Arabia, which has accused Doha of ties to Shiite Iran and support for Sunni Islamist extremist groups. Qatar denies the accusations.

On 5 June, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates severed all diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar in what has become the worst political crisis to grip the Gulf region in decades.

Ironically, the crisis may have pushed Iran and Qatar closer together.

Qatar's move may be seen as provocative among those countries which have cut ties, but Saudi Arabia and its allies have not yet responded.

Political and business leaders in Qatar have argued that they have to maintain ties with Iran because of the gas field, which Doha calls the North Field and in Tehran is known as South Pars.

Qatar has also turned to Iran to help food imports as previously most supplies came through Saudi Arabia, which sealed off Qatar's only land border as part of the boycott.</s>Qatar has defied Saudi Arabia by strengthening its diplomatic ties with Iran - rather than cutting them back as Saudi Arabia and its allies have demanded.

Saudi Arabia and three other Arab states have been blockading Qatar since early June and have demanded that Qatar curb its ties with Iran, as well as shut down its al-Jazeera television network and expel extremists from its territory.

Rather than give in to the blockading countries’ demands, Qatar announced on Thursday that it was restoring full diplomatic relations with Iran and sending its ambassador back to Tehran for the first time since 2016.

"The state of Qatar expressed its aspiration to strengthen bilateral relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran in all fields," The Qatari foreign ministry said.

There was no immediate response from Saudi Arabia or its allies in Bahrain, UAE and Egypt to the diplomatic move.</s>There was no immediate reaction from the Arab nations boycotting Qatar. On Wednesday, the Central African nation of Chad announced it would close its embassy in Doha, accusing Qatar of trying to destabilize it from neighbouring Libya.

The diplomatic crisis began June 5, when Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates cut ties to Qatar over allegations including it funding extremists and being too close to Iran. Qatar long has denied funding extremists.

The boycotting countries 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, creating an apparent stalemate in the crisis. Attempts by Kuwait, the U.S. and others have failed to make headway.

In recent days, however, Saudi Arabia announced it would allow Qataris to make the annual hajj pilgrimage, which is required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life. Saudi state media said that came in part due to an intercession by Qatari royal family member Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani, who met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and later a vacationing King Salman in Morocco.

But Sheikh Abdullah has no role in Qatar's government and his last position was as head of the equestrian and camel racing federation decades ago. Sheikh Abdullah's grandfather, father and brother were rulers of Qatar until a palace coup ousted his branch of the royal family in 1972 and a prominent Saudi columnist has suggested the sheikh could be the start of a Qatari government-in-exile.

Ulrichsen cautioned that so far, the Saudi moves appeared to be more needling than anything else.

"Given that a formal escalation in terms of sanctions is probably off the table for now, we're seeing this informal pressure on Qatar ... to try and perhaps stir the pot," the professor said. "I think the informal pressure is increasing because of the lack of formal alternative measures they can realistically hope to place on Qatar."

Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellap. His work can be found at http://apne.ws/2galNpz.

By Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press
Qatar restores diplomatic ties with Iran. Tehran welcomes the move.