Saudi Arabia Tells Qatar to Close Al-Jazeera

Tensions continue to flare between Qatar and other Persian Gulf countries, with Saudi Arabia demanding that Qatar shut down Al-Jazeera, a source said.

The demand came during a Persian Gulf Cooperation Council meeting on March 5th. After the meeting, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia withdraw their ambassadors from Qatar, AFP reported Friday.

Riyadh also demanded that Qatar close the Brookings Doha Center and the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, the same source said.

The source said that Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Fiasal sought three things of Doha: “to close the (Qatari-owned) Al-Jazeera network, which stirs sedition; close the research centers in Doha, and turn over all outlaws” in its country.

Qatar is currently embroiled in a diplomatic row with Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf countries over the country’s support for the Muslim Brotherhood.

Earlier last week, Saudi Arabia declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization.