Qatar receives list of demands from ‘siege countries’

Qatar confirmed it received a list of demands from countries which have cut diplomatic ties with Doha, according to a statement released on state media. It is the Gulf nation’s first formal statement since news broke earlier yesterday that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt had made 13 demands in order to resume relations with Qatar.

“The state of Qatar announced its receipt of a paper, on June 22, containing demands from the siege countries and Egypt,” read a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, published in the early hours of today morning local time. “The State of Qatar is currently studying this paper, the demands contained therein and the foundations on which they were based, in order to prepare an appropriate response.”

The list, which became public knowledge yesterday, apparently includes a demand for the closure of Al-Jazeera television, a long-standing source of conflict between Doha and neighbouring countries. It also calls on Qatar to cut ties to groups including the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamic State organisation, Al-Qaeda and Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.

Doha is also required to hand over opposition figures wanted by its three neighbours and Egypt.