Dissecting the debate

What’s caused the diplomatic rift? The spark for this flare-up was a report by the state-run Qatar News Agency that carried comments by Qatar ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani criticising mounting anti-Iran sentiment. Qatari officials quickly deleted the comments, blamed them on hackers and appealed for calm. Is this a Sunni vs Shia tension? Partly. The Shia-led Islamic Republic of Iran is Sunni-led Saudi Arabia’s main regional rival. Why is the spat taking place now? The temperature noticeably rose following Donald Trump’s visit. Days after Trump and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz singled out Iran as the world’s main sponsor of terrorism, Saudi Arabia and the UAE accused Qatar of trying to undermine efforts to isolate the Islamic Republic. What do analysts say? Emboldened by closer US ties under Trump, the Saudis and the UAE are seeking to crush any opposition that could weaken a united front against Iraian influence in West Asia. Are disagreements with Qatar anything new? Qatar hosts Hamas’s exiled leadership as well as Taliban officials. Analysts say Riyadh and its allies want to show Qatar, a country of 2.6 million residents, it is punching above its strategic weight. What are the repercussions for markets? Any dispute in the region will make oil markets nervous. Internal disputes among the Gulf countries could limit their appeal to foreign investors.