His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will meet US President Donald J. Trump at the White House next month, on July 9.

The visit is expected to further boost the longstanding partnership between United States and Qatar as well as fortify the economic and security ties shared by the two nations, according to a statement by the White House.

The two leaders will engage in discussions on regional developments, bilateral security cooperation and counterterrorism issues.

Statement from the Press Secretary on the Visit of His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Amir of the State of #Qatar @TamimBinHamadhttps://t.co/QeKdIy6CK2

— U.S. Embassy in Qatar (@USEmbassyQatar) June 8, 2019

The significance of the meeting is paramount as the announcement comes amid escalatory developments in the Gulf region.

Washington has sought to keep up relations with Qatar, which has maintained cordial relations with Tehran even as other Gulf states, led by Saudi Arabia have cooperated with Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran, according to Al Jazeera.

The illegal blockade imposed on Qatar touched the two-year mark on June 5, 2019.

The imposition of the siege saw Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut all diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar in addition to barring Qatari flights to their airports and airspace, banning Qatari visitors, and severing shipping links amid a closure of their borders.

Washington was less than enthusiastic about the embargo on Qatar, which hosts two US military bases and the forward headquarters of the US Central Command that oversees the Pentagon's operations across the Middle East.

Qatar is also slated to take part in the June 25-26 Bahrain conference on the Trump administration's Israeli-Palestinian peace initiative.

The bilateral meeting will be the first between the leaders since Trump hosted HH the Amir at the White House in April last year.

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Source: Al Jazeera 

_{Cover Image Credit: AP News}