Dubai security official urges Qatar to give up World Cup to end crisis

DUBAI: A top Emirati security official has said the Qatar diplomatic crisis can end if Doha gives up hosting the 2022 F IF A World Cup, the first time someone from the four Arab nations boycotting the country directly linked the tournament to resolving the monthslong dispute.

“If the World Cup goes out of Qatar, the crisis in Qatar will end because the crisis was made to break it,” Dubai’s Lt Gen Dhahi Khalfan tweeted.

He added :“The cost to return is more than what the al-Ham de en have planned for,” referring to Qatar’s former emir Sheikh Ham ad bin K hal if a Al Than ia nd his son, the current emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

Qatari officials did not respond to a request for comment. However, the 2022 tournament’ s head in Qatar said on Friday the boycott poses “no risk” to the competition being held.

Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates all cut diplomatic ties and began a boycott of Qatar on June 5, in part over allegations that Doha supports extremists and has overly warm ties to Iran.

Qatar denies funding extremists and restored full diplomatic ties to Iran amid the dispute. AP