Iran sends five planes of food to Qatar amid Gulf crisis

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Saudi Arabia and Bahrain issued statements welcoming U.S. President Donald Trump's demand the previous day for Qatar to stop supporting terrorism, while ignoring a U.S. State Department call for them to ease pressure.

Qatar has said citizens of states that have cut ties with the emirate will be allowed to stay in the country despite measures against its own nationals.

In a surprise move, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic ties and trade links with Qatar, the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, on June 5.

It asked Indian expatriates in the region to contact the Indian Embassy or Consulate concerned should they require assistance or advise consequent to the developing situation.

"India has time-tested friendly relations with GCC countries".

The prestigious USA media outlet adds: "That was before the president, at a news conference on Friday, continued to add fuel to the fire by saying that "the nation of Qatar historically has been a funder of terrorism at a high level", and endorsing the blockade whose easing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had just called for".

Despite Tillerson's plea for "no further escalation", Trump's sharp comments were likely to further embolden Saudi Arabia and the others in their bid to isolate Qatar.

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It described them as "long affiliated with the Wahhabi", an ultraconservative form of Sunni Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia. The Islamic Republic of Iran has suffered a ugly terrorist attack on its soil, which killed 17 and injured many more.

Cavusoglu also said no country in the Gulf region should regard the deal concerning Turkey's setting up a base in Qatar as against itself.

These countries have accused Qatar for allegedly supporting extremism.

Saudi Arabia has banned hotels and tourist facilities in the country from airing Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera in a weird move as part of widespread restrictions on the neighbouring country. Qatar long has denied funding extremists.

Less than two hours earlier, Tillerson had approached the crisis from a different direction - warning that the stand-off between the former Gulf allies was undermining the anti-terror fight. Confirming claims by a Qatari human rights organisation on the impact on families, Amnesty said the blockade was already splitting families and "sowing fear". News reports indicated that Qatar Airways is increasingly flying over Iran and Turkey.

On Thursday, Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said his country could last "forever" despite the sanctions.

Donald Trump backed Riyadh and Abu Dhabi's decision to isolate Qatar while the USA secretaries of defence and state sought to calm the situation among its closest Arab partners, all of whom play a key role in U.S. counterterrorism and security policies in the region.

Al Khalifa said he had told Erdogan about the actions of Qatar which led to the dispute, and added that there should be a guarantee that Qatar will not continue its current actions.

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