The Qatari-Gulf Crisis (2017-2021): Between Escalation and Resolution – A Study in International Relations (Review Article)

Abstract

The Qatari-Gulf crisis is one of the most prominent political crises witnessed by the Arabian Gulf region in the 20th century. The crisis erupted on June 5, 2017, when the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and the Arab Republic of Egypt announced the severing of diplomatic relations with Qatar and imposed political and economic measures on it. The crisis continued until 2021 with the signing of the Treaty of Ula in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This crisis is considered one of the most prominent crises witnessed by the Arabian Gulf region since the establishment of the Gulf Cooperation Council in 1981. In this article, we attempt to shed light on the causes of this crisis, its repercussions on the countries of the region, and the role of mediation in resolving it. The dispute between Qatar and the boycotting countries (Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt) can be traced back to Qatar's foreign policy during regional events. Qatar pursued independent foreign relations without coordinating with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. Among the most prominent of these relationships were those with Iran and Turkey. Qatar cultivated friendly relations with Iran without coordinating with the boycotting countries, driven by its partnership with Iran in one of the world's largest gas fields. This rapprochement with Iran directly contradicts the policies of the boycotting countries, whose aim is to contain Iranian influence in the region.