06 June, 2017
"The aim is clear, and it is to impose guardianship on the state", it said, insisting authorities would "take all measures necessary... to foil attempts to affect or harm Qatar's society and economy".
One of the requirements of the tender was that the cargoes originate from the GCC, whose member countries include the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait and Yemen.
In a statement, Egypt said that Qatar had taken an "anti-Egyptian course" and that Cairo had been unable to dissuade it from supporting terrorism.
Saudi Arabia also said Qatari troops would be pulled from the ongoing war in Yemen.
Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying that Qatar diplomats had 48 hours to leave the country.
Economic consequences were already emerging, with UAE carriers Emirates, Etihad, flydubai and Air Arabia, as well as Saudi Airlines, announcing the suspension of all flights to and from Qatar as of Tuesday morning.
Qatar's crude output ranks as one of the smallest among the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, but tension within the cartel could weaken the supply deal aimed at supporting prices.
Saudi Arabia closed its land border with Qatar, through which the tiny Gulf nation imports most of its food, sparking a run on supermarkets.
The Gulf countries ordered their citizens out of Qatar and gave Qataris overseas 14 days to return home to their peninsular nation, whose only land border is with Saudi Arabia.
"Equally, the litany of narrowbody jets that Qatar Airways has to park which can't be used for intra-GCC flights will hit operations at Doha since ramp space will be at a premium - this could lead to flight delays and incur more costs".
Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman told his country's parliament the latest developments involving Qatar could herald a broad anti-terror alliance including Israel.
The Emir's comments appeared on Qatar's official news agency, but Qatar claimed that the website was "hacked", the report fabricated by the culprits.
"We are friends, we've been friends now for a long time, haven't we?"
"One is that Saudi Arabia felt emboldened after Donald Trump's visit, and Trump's administration has had a strong stance on Iran, which is backed by Qatar".
"There are two competing theories", Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, senior fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations said about the origin of the spat.
"Another theory is that this is a product of month's tension, all brought to a breaking point after the Qatar news agency hacking story".
Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies may have felt emboldened by Trump's visit, which saw the new president clearly align USA interests with Riyadh and lash out at Iran.
"You have a shift in the balance of power in the Gulf now because of the new presidency: Trump is strongly opposed to political Islam and Iran", said Jean-Marc Rickli, head of global risk and resilience at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.
The accusations made against Qatar and the subsequent reaction from other Gulf states is the largest diplomatic crisis in the region in recent years.
Qatar is home to the sprawling al-Udeid Air Base, which is home to the forward headquarters of the US military's Central Command.
"The solution to differences between states in the region...is only possible through political and peaceful methods and dialogue between the parties", Ghasemi said. "We are ready to offer jobs to them", she stressed.
He encouraged Qatar and its neighbours to "sit down together", adding that Washington was ready for "any role that we can play" in helping to overcome divisions.
Qatar is due to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but FIFA declined requests for comment on whether the tournament will be affected.
