Ian Black is a visiting senior fellow at the Middle East Center at the London School of Economics.

He said some local media in Saudi Arabia and the Emirates are accusing Rex Tillerson of taking Qatar's side in the dispute with its Arab neighours.

Black said the agreement signed by the US and Qatar to combat terror financing is "helpful" in mending the Gulf dispute, but is still seen as insufficient step by the blockading countries to bring an "immediate end to the confrontation".