Qatari emir makes outreach effort to Iran’s president

Qatar’s emir has spoken with the Iranian president in an outreach effort that could help ease tensions between Sunni Gulf Arab states and Shiite-majority Iran.

The official Qatar News Agency says Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani offered his greetings Monday to President Hasan Rouhani to mark the start of the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha, and discussed issues including terrorism and the “principles of good neighborliness.”

Qatar is part of the Saudi-dominated, six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council and hosts US troops on a major air base.

Saudi Arabia and Iran are regional rivals and back opposing sides in Syria and Yemen. The two countries severed diplomatic relations in January after Riyadh executed a prominent Shiite cleric and angry Iranian crowds overran Saudi diplomatic missions.

— AP