What’s caused the diplomatic rift?
The spark for this flare-up was a report by the state-run Qatar News Agency that carried comments by Qatar ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani criticising mounting anti-Iran sentiment. Qatari officials quickly deleted the comments, blamed them on hackers and appealed for calm.
Is this a Sunni vs Shia tension?
Partly. The Shia-led Islamic Republic of Iran is Sunni-led Saudi Arabia’s main regional rival.
Why is the spat taking place now?
The temperature noticeably rose following Donald Trump’s visit. Days after Trump and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz singled out Iran as the world’s