TEHRAN: Iran sent more food to Qatar today after exporting three tons of fresh fish and 180 tons of fruit and vegetables to alleviate shortages suffered by the emirate over the boycott of three Persian Gulf countries. According to official sources, departments of the ministries of trade, foreign affairs, and transport coordinate the processing of shipments of deficit products in the Arab country after the rupture of diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Bahrain. These three nations announced on June 5 that they cut off any ties to Doha due to its alleged support for terrorism and hosting leaders of Islamist organizations considered a threat to regional security, allegations denied by the emirate. State television showed images of port operations to send the solidarity shipment authorized by the government of President Hassan Rouhani, after being blocked the land, sea and air borders with Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, and Manama.
The transaction responded to Qatari’s request to import food and was carried out by Port Bulkheir after all necessary inspections and examinations were carried out under international standards, said Simrouni, who said Iranian fish had also been sold to Kuwait and the UAE. On Wednesday, the Maritime and Ports Bureau of Bandar Lengeh reported the export to the emirate of 180 tons of fruits and vegetables through that road in the south of the country, transported in 10 air-conditioned containers. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Tehran would provide all the humanitarian aid needed by the Qatari people and reiterated the call for dialogue to find a negotiated solution to the diplomatic crisis, the worst experienced by the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Qatar Airways Executive Director Akbar Al-Baker said that the airline’s services ‘have not been greatly affected’ by neighboring countries’ decision to ban its use of airspace and land in its capitals. 90 percent of those flights took off within 15 minutes of their scheduled departure time, said the company’s director who that same week announced profits of 540 million dollars in the fiscal year concluded last March. On the other hand, in Muscat, Oman’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Masoud Al-Sunaidy, welcomed the shared willingness with Iran to expand and consolidate bilateral relations, particularly in the economic and trade sectors. Al-Sunaidy highlighted the diversity of opportunities for cooperation with the Persian country explored during a series of talks that the Iranian ambassador to this Arab sultanate, Mohammad Reza Nouri Shahroudi, held on Tuesday and Wednesday with several Omani officials.
