The Gulf dispute has lasted too long, according to the US envoy.

DUBAI (Reuters) – United States Special Envoy for Iran Brian Hook said Sunday that a gap between Qatar and some of its other Gulf Arab allies had lasted too long and urged them to rebuild trust and unity.

The non-Gulf states of the Gulf, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with Qatar in June 2017 on accusations that it supports terrorism. Doha denies the charges, saying the bloc aims to infringe on its sovereignty.

The United States, along with the Gulf of Kuwait state, has so far unsuccessfully attempted to mediate the dispute, which Washington sees as a threat to efforts to contain Iran.

“The dispute has continued for too long and ultimately hurts our shared regional interests in stability, prosperity and security,” Hook told Qatari journalists after meeting with the Gulf state foreign minister.

“Ending this dispute will really advance the collective interests of all parties to this conflict.”

Hook is in the Middle East to urge the extension of a United Nations arms embargo against Iran. He has visited Tunisia, a member of the UN Security Council, and will soon travel to Kuwait, he said.

Hook said he would raise the Gulf dispute with Kuwaiti officials and hoped that the hospitalization of his 91-year-old ruler “would have no negative effect on diplomatic efforts.”

Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, who is in the United States receiving medical treatment, has long attempted to mediate the dispute.

Hook said he believed Sheikh Sabah, a longtime diplomat, would want the Kuwaiti efforts to continue.

Gulf diplomats and sources told Reuters that the United States has been trying to convince Saudi Arabia and its allies to reopen their airspace, which closed Qatar three years ago, but that mediation efforts since the start of 2020 have yet to come. have been successful.