What is the Qatar row with its Gulf neighbours all about?
Ministers say they "stand ready to defend our country" - but could the dispute real spiral into a regional conflict?
Monday 3 July 2017 19:23, UK
Qatar has been frozen out by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain in a four-week-long stand-off.
The quartet dramatically cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and halted all land, air and sea traffic to the country on 5 June.
The Gulf states later set out a list of stringent conditions on which the blockade against Doha would be lifted.
Qatar has now got until Tuesday to submit a response, thanks to a delay requested by mediator Kuwait.
How did the row start?
Qatar has been accused of supporting extremist groups after simmering tensions with its neighbouring powers finally boiled over.
Two events seem to have played a key role in sparking the ongoing crisis.
In April, the gas-rich country was reported to have paid a $1bn (£769m) ransom to release members of its royal family captured on a hunting trip in Iraq.
Some media reports alleged the cash was handed over to militias in Iraq to secure their release but those accusations were refuted by the country's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Qatar's government.
Iraq's PM says the money was deposited in the Iraqi Central Bank.
In May, Qatar blamed hackers for a story published on the website of its state news agency that quoted its ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani criticising US "hostility" towards Iran.
The Qatar News Agency story quoted Sheikh al Thani as claiming Iran - the biggest adversary of Saudi Arabia and its allies - of being "an Islamic power that cannot be ignored".
The subsequent storm added to long-running sores over Qatar's backing for Islamists, including the Muslim Brotherhood group which is banned and classed as a terror group in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Egypt.
Qatar has also been accused of supporting Houthi rebels in Yemen, who are currently engaged in a bloody civil war with the country's Saudi Arabia-allied government.
What is being demanded of Qatar?
In a 13-point list sent to Doha, which explains their major gripes with Qatar, the other states have demanded the country must:
- Curb diplomatic and military co-operation with Iran
- Sever all ties to groups the nations have branded "terror organisations", including the Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah, al Qaeda and Islamic State
- Shut down the Al Jazeera news network, a constant source of irritation for Arab states and accused of being a key pillar of the Qatar's foreign policy.
- Shut down other news outlets that Qatar funds
- End Turkey's military presence in Qatar
- Stop all means of funding for those individuals and groups classed as terrorists by the Arab states and US
- Hand over those alleged terrorists wanted by the Arab states
- Stop granting Qatari citizenship to nationals from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Bahrain
- End contact with political opponents in neighbouring countries and detail all prior relations
- Stump up reparations for financial losses caused by Qatari policies in recent years
- Align more closely with other Arab countries
- Consent to regular audits
- Agree to all demands within 10 days
What is the US position?
The US has some 10,000 troops in Qatar, which is a key staging post for its military in conflicts against Islamic State and in Afghanistan.
It is allied to both sides in the dispute and President Donald Trump has publicly urged unity and restraint.
But on Twitter he has repeated the allegations that Qatar funds terrorism and in remarks reported from a private dinner he .
What happens next?
The list of demands does not state what happens if Qatar fails to abide by the conditions, which Doha has said were written with no expectation they will be agreed to.
The Arab states will reply to Qatar's response to the demands this week.
Doha's defence minister , telling Sky News: "Qatar is not an easy country to be swallowed by anyone. We are ready. We stand ready to defend our country.
"I hope that we don't come to a stage where, you know, a military intervention is made."
World football bosses have insisted the 2022 World Cup, due to be hosted by Qatar, is not under threat because of the crisis.
But firms delivering stadiums in the country are reported to be putting in place contingency plans to flee the Gulf state should the situation worsen.