One does not expect Qatar to so readily give up its Arab and Gulf identity. Qatari officials have spoken of the "friendly and brotherly relations with the GCC member states." But at the same time, one is shaken by Qatar's dual approach to its relations with Iran. Its Emir has just made a call to the Iranian President congratulating him for the election victory and extolling the virtues of Qatar-Iran relations. At the recent Arab-Islamic-American Summit, King Salman had strongly denounced the Iranian regime and its support for global terrorism. The King said that the Kingdom had not known terrorism until 1979 when the Khomeni revolution prevailed in Tehran. The Qatari Emir was present at the summit and listened to every bit of what was said of the morally corrupt regime. Iran has rejected every move towards good neighborliness. Instead it has paid back with its expansionist designs, breaching the globally-accepted principles of good neighborliness, common coexistence and mutual respect. Iran had misjudged the Kingdom's silence as a sign of weakness, but not for long. The Kingdom has stood steadfast against Iran's hostile manipulations in Yemen and other countries in the region. While not holding the Iranian people responsible for the regime's machinations in the region, the Kingdom has exposed Tehran's territorial ambitions and its aggressive positioning that undermine international peace and security. It is with such a regime that Qatar seeks to be cozy with. Despite denial of statements attributed to the Emir, Doha's intentions clear. But does it really want to join the Iranian fold and abandon its Gulf identity? If Iran has welcomed it to its side, it's simply because of its self interests. Such a relationship is unsustainable. But what does Qatar gain? Why does it cross roads to an uncertain terrain where it does not belong? There may be favorable winds blowing Qatar's way for now. But this is a fleeting moment of calculated goodwill, which will soon erode. Qatar needs to realize this, and soon return to the flock.
