Pompeo insists on Gulf unity in face of Qatar to confront Iran

New US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday called for unity among the Gulf countries, deeply divided over Qatar, in order to face the challenge posed by Iran.

"Gulf unity is necessary and we need to achieve it," Pompeo said in a joint press conference with his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir in Riyadh.

On the plane that took him from Saudi Arabia to Israel, Pompeo came back on the subject, saying that the Gulf countries would find ways to reconcile.

"They will find a solution, and I think they will all agree that it is in the interest of all that the Gulf States find a way to be together," he said.

"We have a common challenge, which is Iran, and I think they all recognize it, and we hope they will resolve their dispute in their own way," said Pompeo.

A regional organization, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), brings together the six Gulf countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Kuwait and Oman have not broken ties with Qatar.

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