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'US Desire to Receive Money From Persian Gulf States' Behind Qatar Crisis

© REUTERS / StringerBuildings are seen from across the water in Doha, Qatar June 5, 2017
Buildings are seen from across the water in Doha, Qatar June 5, 2017 - Sputnik International
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Two US warships arrived at the port in Doha for joint exercises. Moreover, the defense ministers of the US and Qatar have signed agreements on the supply of 36 F-15 fighters for $12 billion. Do these moves signal an end to the Qatari crisis?

The head of the European Middle East Research Center in France, Saleh at-Tayar, told Sputnik Arabic in an interview that the deal for the purchase of aircraft was agreed long before Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia.

Moscow, Russia. News conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov evaluating the 2016 performance of Russian diplomacy. - Sputnik International
Russian FM Lavrov, UAE State Minister Discuss Qatar Diplomatic Row
“This deal will not change anything in the current crisis in the Middle East, which is considered an internal problem of the region. There is no need to give the recent events any special significance. Each country strengthens its military capabilities as much as possible,” al-Tayar said.

A former assistant to Egyptian Foreign Minister, Abdalla al-Ashal, told Sputnik Arabic that the US was the initiator of the Persian Gulf crisis.

“The US wants to receive money from the Gulf States. Qatar was one country that was not buying US weapons as the US wanted them too. During times of crisis, weapons are sold. It then becomes advantageous for Americans to put out the conflict because the destruction of the commonwealth of the Persian Gulf countries is unprofitable for the United States,” al-Ashal said.

On Wednesday, Bloomberg reported that the Pentagon had finalized the sale of 36 F-15QA Eagle fighter jets to Qatar for $12 billion. The Pentagon issued a press statement saying the sale would increase US-Qatari security cooperation.

Earlier, during his visit to Riyadh, President Trump met with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Trump said that they discussed a range of issues, including arms sales.

An American F-15 fighter plane. (File) - Sputnik International
By Selling Jets to Qatar, US 'Sends a Signal' to Gulf States Amid Diplomatic Row
Soon after, a major diplomatic crisis erupted between Qatar and other Gulf nations. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and about a half-dozen other countries cut off diplomatic relations with Doha, accusing it of sponsoring terror groups and destabilizing the Middle East.

"There is a conspiracy version that the Qatar crisis was provoked by the negative results of the deal for the US," Dmitry Egorchenkov, an expert at the Institute for Strategic Studies and Prognosis at Moscow-based RUDN University, told RT.

According to Egorchenkov, the deal was prepared long ago and the first official statements about its finalization were made in late 2016. Then, however, progress stalled.

On June 5, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Libya, the Maldives and Mauritius severed diplomatic relations with Qatar. 

Mauritania broke off diplomatic ties with Qatar on June 6. On the same day, Jordan downgraded ties with Qatar. On June 7, the Comoros cut off ties with the Persian Gulf state, and Djibouti reduced the level of diplomatic contacts with it. Senegal, Chad and Niger recalled their ambassadors from Doha.

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