The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain said they would maintain the month-old air, land and sea blockade of Qatar that is undermining the nation’s wealthy economy and fueling regional tensions. The ministers did not announce any new measures aimed at forcing Qatar to comply, leaving room for the continuation of a flurry of diplomatic efforts aimed at containing the crisis. President Trump also called Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi to discuss the crisis ahead of the conclusion of the meeting in Cairo. The Arab rift over Qatar has come at a time when Trump is seeking to rally Arab support against the Islamic State and Iran. Read more:Demands by Saudi-led Arab states for Qatar include shuttering Al JazeeraToday’s coverage from Post correspondents around the worldLike Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news

Source: Washington Post July 05, 2017 17:26 UTC