The Qatar row
Sounds like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and UAE are implementing "extreme vetting" for Qatari nationals. ;)
Qatar row: Economic impact threatens food, flights and football
Iran must be very happy about this. Qatar has been a major thorn in their ass, geopolitically. Really, any rifts between the Gulf states is welcome news for Iran. Especially since divide-and-rule is their fave strategy. Breaking up the anti-Iranian coalition is their number one goal, and this development is going to help greatly in that respect - just as Trump was planning to reverse things with them and put Iran under pressure again.
This will surely divert attention from Iran's military adventurism and their new level of geopolitical assertiveness, what with their involvement in Iraq and Syria. Iran has expanded their activities in Iraq through their Shia militia proxies, and they've allied with the Kurds to counter Daesh. Assad in Syria is supported by both Russia and Syria, and doesn't look likely to go away any time soon. All in all, Iran has scored a major victory, and is about to complete their coveted belt spanning the main oil pipeline routes from Central Asia to the Mediterranean.
How happy would Putin be with all that, is another issue. But the Qatari development is a major blow on America's and Western interests as a whole. And they've had it coming for quite a while now.
Qatar row: Economic impact threatens food, flights and football
Iran must be very happy about this. Qatar has been a major thorn in their ass, geopolitically. Really, any rifts between the Gulf states is welcome news for Iran. Especially since divide-and-rule is their fave strategy. Breaking up the anti-Iranian coalition is their number one goal, and this development is going to help greatly in that respect - just as Trump was planning to reverse things with them and put Iran under pressure again.
This will surely divert attention from Iran's military adventurism and their new level of geopolitical assertiveness, what with their involvement in Iraq and Syria. Iran has expanded their activities in Iraq through their Shia militia proxies, and they've allied with the Kurds to counter Daesh. Assad in Syria is supported by both Russia and Syria, and doesn't look likely to go away any time soon. All in all, Iran has scored a major victory, and is about to complete their coveted belt spanning the main oil pipeline routes from Central Asia to the Mediterranean.
How happy would Putin be with all that, is another issue. But the Qatari development is a major blow on America's and Western interests as a whole. And they've had it coming for quite a while now.