Qatar interested in constructive ties with Iran

Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani underscored his country's need to establish healthy and constructive ties with Iran, rejecting Saudi Arabia and its allies' demand from Doha to downgrade relations with Tehran.

Al-Thani made the remarks, addressing the Chatham House international affairs think tank in London on Wednesday.

Qatar and Iran had to live alongside each other, he said, noting that the two countries share a giant gas field.

Elsewhere, he blasted Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain for 'clear aggression' against his country as their representatives met in Cairo to discuss further measures against the gas-rich Persian Gulf kingdom, Fars News  agency reported.

Al-Thani noted that the recent move by a number of Arab countries to sever their diplomatic relations with Doha and close their borders and airspace "were clearly designed to create anti-Qatar sentiment in the West".

Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut off diplomatic ties with Qatar early June, accusing Doha of supporting terrorist organizations and destabilizing the situation in the Middle East.

After more than two weeks, the Saudi-led bloc gave Qatar a 10 days to comply with 13 demands, which included shutting down the Al-Jazeera Media Network, closing a Turkish military base and scaling down ties with Iran.