FM al-Thani 22 Nov said govt would maintain ties with Iran despite U.S. sanctions; stated readiness to mediate between U.S. and Iran. Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad 4 Nov reshuffled his cabinet to elevate younger technocrats.

Military chief of staff 10-12 Sept attended 15th Gulf Cooperation Council Supreme Military Committee meeting in Kuwait; first meeting since Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut ties with Qatar in June 2017 (see Kuwait).

Emir Tamim bin Hamed al-Thani, Qatar’s head of state, 15 Aug pledged to invest $15bn in Turkey, helping to slow Turkish lira’s precipitous fall (see Turkey).

Govt and U.S. 24 July launched expansion of al-Udeid military base, 35km from Doha, which hosts largest U.S. military presence in Gulf.

Govt 13 June pledged $500mn investment package for Jordan, including 10,000 jobs for Jordanians in Qatar.

National Counterterrorism Committee 22 March published names of 28 people and entities on terrorism blacklist, including Qatari nationals on other Arab countries’ blacklists. Govt denied Bahraini and Emirati claims that Qatari fighter jets 27 March intercepted civilian planes in Bahraini airspace.

Feeding tensions between govt and Saudi Arabia-led bloc comprising United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt, govt complained to UN 11 and 13 Jan that UAE aircraft had violated Qatari airspace 21 Dec and 3 Jan. UAE 15 Jan said Qatari fighter jets had that day “intercepted” two Emirati civilian planes en route to Bahrain. Qatari sheikh said in video released 14 Jan that Emirati Crown Prince was holding him in UAE capital, Abu Dhabi against his will; sheikh left UAE for Kuwait 17 Jan.

Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Kuwait City 5 Dec, which lasted one day instead of two as planned, failed to ease dispute between Saudi-led bloc and Qatar; blockading countries Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain sent only ministerial-level delegations.

Saudi Arabia-led bloc maintained diplomatic and trade blockade on Qatar for alleged support of “terrorism”; blockading countries 22 Nov added two Islamic organisations and eleven individuals to terror blacklist, claiming they are backed by Qatar.

Ahead of Gulf visit late-Oct, U.S. Sec State Tillerson 19 Oct called on Saudi Arabia-led bloc to engage with Qatar to end diplomatic and trade blockade of Qatar imposed early June for alleged support of Islamist groups including Muslim Brotherhood; Qatar 24 Oct reiterated its commitment to Kuwait-led mediation.