Qatar says Gulf citizens can stay despite crisis

Qatar yesterday moved to avoid an escalation of its feud with Gulf neighbours by telling their citizens they are welcome to stay, while boasting of "business as usual" for vital gas exports.

Iran also announced it had sent tonnes of vegetables to Qatar, which has seen food imports threatened after its neighbours cut air, sea and land links with the country.

Nearly a week after Saudi Arabia and several of its allies severed ties with Qatar in an unprecedented Gulf diplomatic crisis, there were no signs of the bitter dispute being resolved.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and others accused Qatar of supporting extremist groups, an assertion since backed by US President Donald Trump.

The crisis has raised deep concerns of instability in the region and yesterday Kuwait's foreign minister said his country would continue efforts to mediate a solution to the crisis.

Qatar strongly rejects the allegations and has said it is open to talks on ending the dispute, which also saw the three Gulf states order all Qatari citizens out of their countries within 14 days.

Qatar said late on Saturday it would not retaliate with such measures of its own.

The decision will come as a relief to the more than 11,000 people from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain living in Qatar.

On Thursday, Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said his country could last "forever" despite the sanctions.

Qatar's rivals have also accused Doha of being too close to the Sunni Arab Gulf states' arch-rival -- Shia-dominated Iran -- in claims that Doha has also denied.

Moscow on Saturday joined other nations in calling for a dialogue, after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged Saudi Arabia and its allies to ease their "blockade" of Qatar.

Washington has sent mixed signals on the crisis, despite Qatar's position as a key ally and host to the largest US airbase in the region.

While Tillerson and others have called for an easing of tensions, Trump on Friday said Qatar had "historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level".