Doha can broker talks between Gulf states and Iran now that GCC ties are restored, Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani told Bloomberg TV on Tuesday.
His comments came a day after Omar Ghobash, the UAE's Assistant Minister for Culture and Public Diplomacy, repeated to CNBC that the country backed conditional talks with Iran that tackle regional meddling and its ballistic missiles.
"Qatar will facilitate negotiations, if asked by stakeholders, and will support whoever is chosen to do so. We want the accomplishment, we want to see the deal happening," Mr Al Thani said.
The issue of the 2015 Iran nuclear accord is back on the table because incoming US President Joe Biden is keen to restart talks with Tehran about two years after Donald Trump withdrew from the deal.
Qatar maintained close ties with Iran in recent years and the countries share several oil and gas projects.
Relations were mended between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt before the 41st GCC summit at Al Ula in Saudi Arabia this month.
The move ended a three-year Gulf crisis and travel, economic and diplomatic ties have started to resume.
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim Al Thani attended the summit for the first time since 2017, when the four countries cut ties with Doha after accusing it of supporting extremist groups and meddling in the internal affairs of neighbouring states. Doha denied the accusations.
In his opening address at the latest summit, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that the region needed a co-ordinated front to face challenges, including on Iran's nuclear and ballistic missiles programmes.
On Saturday, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said that he expected the kingdom's embassy in Doha to reopen "within days".
Full diplomatic relations will resume, he said in Riyadh alongside Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.
Qatari TV channel beIN Sports was broadcast in Saudi Arabia on Monday.
In July, Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Competition said it had cancelled the licence of the broadcaster, which has been banned from broadcasting in the kingdom since mid-2017.
The broadcaster’s website was blocked as of Monday.
Qatar Airways resumed flights through Saudi airspace on January 7, with the first plane flying from Doha to Johannesburg.
Saudia and Qatar Airways resumed flights between Doha and Riyadh on January 11.
Bahrain also resumed flights and Qatar released Sami Al Haddad, a bodybuilding champion, and two other Bahrainis who were detained during fishing trips, Bahrain's Interior Ministry said last Thursday.
The first flights from Qatar to Egypt resumed on Monday and transport links with the UAE have also been restored.
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff
By Sean Penn
Simon & Schuster
RESULTS
5pm Wathba Stallions Cup Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Munfared, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Sawt Assalam, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Dergham Athbah, Pat Dobbs, Mohamed Daggash
6.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Rajee, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri
7pm Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Kerless Del Roc, Fernando Jara, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
7.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner Pharoah King, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
8pm Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner Sauternes Al Maury, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson
WITHIN%20SAND
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Moe%20Alatawi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Ra%E2%80%99ed%20Alshammari%2C%20Adwa%20Fahd%2C%20Muhand%20Alsaleh%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
Rating: 2.5/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The lowdown
Badla
Rating: 2.5/5
Produced by: Red Chillies, Azure Entertainment
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh, Tony Luke
Tell Me Who I Am
Director: Ed Perkins
Stars: Alex and Marcus Lewis
Four stars
