US welcomes Bahrain, Qatar deal to restore relations
The State Department applauded the "breakthrough" agreement reached between the two US partners in the Middle East.
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Thursday welcomed the deal reached between Qatar and Bahrain to resume diplomatic ties, two years after the Saudi-led bloc ended its embargo on Doha.
“This breakthrough represents a crucial step in our collective efforts to forge a more integrated, stable, peaceful and prosperous region,” State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said in a statement.
Both countries are close US partners in the Middle East, with Bahrain hosting the US Navy's 5th Fleet and Qatar home to the largest US air base in the region.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan described the restoration of diplomatic ties between the two Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries as “an important step toward establishing a more stable and prosperous Middle East region.”
