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Iran starts Doha airlift to supply beleaguered Qatar food and water
IRANIAN traders started an airlift food to Qatar via an Iran Air cargo Boeing 747, blockaded as it is by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain, reports Iran's Fars News Agency.
Reuters reports that a Qatari official that his country is in talks with "Turkey and Iran and other countries" about securing food and water supplies to stave off any shortages.
"Iran Air has so far transported food and vegetables with four flights to Qatar," said company spokesman Shahrokh Noushabadi.
"The food shipments were transported from airports in Tehran and Shiraz," he said, adding that Iran Air is ready to send more shipments "in line with demand and request of the Qatari people and government".
Iran Air told Tehran's Financial Tribune that the flights were chartered by private traders.
The Saudi-led coalition cut diplomatic ties as well as all land, marine and air connections with Qatar as of Monday, in what many describe as the worst rift in the Arab world in decades.
It was triggered by Saudi Arabia accusing the energy-rich sheikhdom that it provides support for terrorist groups across the Middle East.
While the dispute raised concerns among the Qatari population of 2.23 million, its government has tried to weather the storm, assuring the panicked residents the food supplies are adequate.
Doha is also accused of siding with Iran, which is considered by Saudis and the west as an adversary.
Iran, alongside Qatar's other powerful ally Turkey, has expressed readiness to supply food to the country that so far has depended on commodities trucked in through its only land order with Saudi Arabia.
Reuters reports that a Qatari official that his country is in talks with "Turkey and Iran and other countries" about securing food and water supplies to stave off any shortages.
"Iran Air has so far transported food and vegetables with four flights to Qatar," said company spokesman Shahrokh Noushabadi.
"The food shipments were transported from airports in Tehran and Shiraz," he said, adding that Iran Air is ready to send more shipments "in line with demand and request of the Qatari people and government".
Iran Air told Tehran's Financial Tribune that the flights were chartered by private traders.
The Saudi-led coalition cut diplomatic ties as well as all land, marine and air connections with Qatar as of Monday, in what many describe as the worst rift in the Arab world in decades.
It was triggered by Saudi Arabia accusing the energy-rich sheikhdom that it provides support for terrorist groups across the Middle East.
While the dispute raised concerns among the Qatari population of 2.23 million, its government has tried to weather the storm, assuring the panicked residents the food supplies are adequate.
Doha is also accused of siding with Iran, which is considered by Saudis and the west as an adversary.
Iran, alongside Qatar's other powerful ally Turkey, has expressed readiness to supply food to the country that so far has depended on commodities trucked in through its only land order with Saudi Arabia.
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