Trump supports Saudi-led isolation of Qatar

The President of the US Donald Trump on Tuesday responded to the Saudi-led diplomatic separation of Qatar.

WASHINGTON DC, United States (Kurdistan24) – The President of the US Donald Trump on Tuesday responded to the Saudi-led diplomatic separation of Qatar.

President Trump called the decision a “just punishment” for the country’s financial backing of Iran and other extremist groups.

“During my recent trip to the Middle East, I stated there can no longer be funding of Radical Ideology,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “Leaders pointed to Qatar – look!”

President Trump highlighted his meetings with Gulf Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia earlier this month, stating it was “already paying off.”

“[Saudi Arabia] said they would take a hard line on funding extremism, and all reference was pointing to Qatar,” Trump said in another tweet.

“Perhaps this will be the beginning of the end to the horror of terrorism!” the President added.

According to two administration officials, the US was not made aware from its Arab allies before the abrupt decision to isolate Qatar.

However, President Trump was aware of “longstanding tensions among the Gulf nations fueled by Qatar’s coziness with Iran,” Bloomberg reported.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and other nations cut diplomatic ties with Qatar on Monday, accusing the country of supporting terrorism.

Qatar denied assertions made against it, labeling the decision from its neighboring countries to sever ties “unjustified” and with “no basis in fact.”

Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said the political rift between the Gulf countries threatened “the interests of all.”

The accusations made against Qatar and the subsequent reaction from other Gulf states is the largest diplomatic crisis in the region in recent years.

 

Editing by Ava Homa