Trump administration brokers deal to end Saudi embargo of Qatar

The United States has brokered a deal between Qatar and four Arab states, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, and Egypt, to end a diplomatic rift between the countries, Axios reports.

The rift began in 2017 when the four Arab states placed an embargo on the small peninsular nation of Qatar, preventing the nation from utilizing their airspace and seaways. The nations cited Qatar's support for terrorism and their friendly relationship with Iran as justification for the policy.

The US has been troubled by the rift, however, as the country maintains friendly relations with all five nations.

Jared Kushner nevertheless managed to broker a deal between the five nations, with the Kuwaiti government announcing on Monday that Saudi Arabia would be opening their land borders, seaways, and airspace to Qatar that evening.

Kushner brokered a tentative agreement a few weeks ago, but negotiations were completed early Monday morning prior to Kushner's trip to Saudi Arabia to participate in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit.

Kushner maintains close relationships with the leaders of both Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

A formal agreement is expected to be signed on Tuesday, with the Gulf states lifting their embargo against Qatar and Qatar ending their legal actions against their governments. The nations are also expected to end propaganda campaigns against each other.

Not all issues between the nations have been worked out, however, as the leaders of the four embargoing Arab states have poor relationships with the reigning monarch of Qatar.

Nevertheless, the deal will likely reduce some tensions in the Middle East and bring another diplomatic victory for the Trump administration's peacemaking policies in the Middle East.