Qatar-Gulf crisis lingers on as Tillerson heads home

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has wrapped up a four-day mission in the Gulf with little sign of progress on ending the GCC crisis. Tillerson met Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for the second time in 48 hours, together with a Kuwaiti mediator, on the final leg of his trip trying […]

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has wrapped up a four-day mission in the Gulf with little sign of progress on ending the GCC crisis.

Tillerson met Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for the second time in 48 hours, together with a Kuwaiti mediator, on the final leg of his trip trying to repair a rift that is dividing some of America’s most important Middle East allies, before heading back to Washington on Thursday.

Despite an intense round of shuttle diplomacy that also took him to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, tensions remain high between Qatar and four Arab states that accuse Doha of funding “terrorism” and is being too close to Iran – allegations Qatar has repeatedly denied.

Reports said officials do not expect the crisis to end in the near future.