Strategic Hedging or Alignment? Qatar’s Foreign Policy Toward Iran in the Wake of the Blockade Crisis

Authors : Duygu Dersan Orhan

Pages : 93-109

Doi:10.33458/uidergisi.1284183

View : 227 | Download : 493

Publication Date : 2023-12-19

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The blockade imposed on Qatar changed the power dynamics in the Persian Gulf, increasing tension and insecurity in the area. Qatar’s ability to overcome the blockade was largely due to its cooperation with Iran, and the two countries’ ties grew as a result. This study investigates whether Qatar’s long-standing hedging toward Iran has changed into an alignment in the wake of the 2017 blockade. The key conclusion of the article is that, despite Qatar’s faint signals of alignment with Iran during the blockade, it did not entirely stray from its hedging strategy. Qatar-Iran relations has been selected as a case study to illustrate the effects of regional developments and security crises on the hedging strategy within the context of the Blockade Crisis.
Keywords : Small States, Gulf Cooperation Council, Emerging Partner, Regional Security, Economic Cooperation

ORIGINAL ARTICLE URL