US pressing Saudi, UAE to end airspace ban against Qatar

The United States has been pushing to resolve a nearly three-year diplomatic dispute between Qatar and its neighbors by pressing Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to stop their ban on Qatari airlines using their airspace, according to a report.

President Donald Trump has personally pressured the Saudi leadership to end the restrictions, which often force Qatari aircraft to use Iranian airspace as their only corridor out of the region, US and Gulf officials told Wall Street Journal.

The efforts included calls earlier this spring with Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the officials were quoted as saying on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE Bahrain and Egypt severed political, trade and transport ties with Qatar on June 5, 2017. The quartet continues to impose a land, air and sea blockade against their neighbor, accusing it of "supporting terrorism" - a charge repeatedly and vehemently rejected by Doha.