War with Qatar never an option, Saudi-led block says

Military action against Qatar "was not — and will not be — an option in any way" the Saudi-led block currently blockading Doha has said.

The statement came following a joint press conference between Kuwaiti Emir Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah and U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington. During the press conference, the Kuwaiti emir suggested that the "success" of his mediation was "preventing a military intervention," according to Arab News.

For his part, the U.S. president also offered to assist in the mediation and said he sees the ongoing crisis as "something that's going to get solved fairly easily." 

"We call on our GCC and Egyptian allies to focus on our commitments at that Saudi Arabia summit to continue our joint efforts to drive out and defeat terrorists," Trump said, according to Al Jazeera.

"Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt are all essential US partners in this effort. We have great relationships with all of them right now, maybe better than we've ever had," he said. 

"We will be most successful with a united GCC."

Kuwait's emir said that Qatar had expressed its willingness to sit down with the blockading countries – Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt – and discuss the 13 demands laid out to resolve the crisis.

"A great part of them will be resolved," Al-Sabah said.

"I am optimistic that the solution will come in the very near future. The hope has not ended yet."

The 13 demands, given in June, include shuttering Al Jazeera, limiting relations with Iran and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the country as prerequisites to lifting the blockade.

Despite Al-Sabah's optimism, Qatari Foreign Minister Abdulrahman Al Thani said his nation refuses to enter any negotiations until the sanctions are lifted.

"The Qatari FM's insistence on putting pre-conditions to the discussions confirms that Qatar is not serious about them," a statement from the Saudi-led block said.

The tensions between Qatar and the Saudi-led block escalated at the end of May after controversial statements attributed to Qatar's emir were broadcast by the emirate's official news agency. 

While Doha insists the news agency was hacked and the statements were never made, the emir's alleged comments voiced support for designated terrorist groups and Iran. 

In response, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt cut diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting and funding terrorist organizations.