Qatar has reportedly lodged a request for the purchase of four Predator drones with the US more than a year ago. However, the US State Department has not yet responded to the request, and the officials refuse to explain the delays, according to the newspaper.
Qatar’s dissatisfaction has been exacerbated by the fact that the country assisted the US during evacuations from Afghanistan and that the State Department has approved similar requests from other regional allies, including the United Arab Emirates, the Wall Street Journal noted.
The country planned to use the purchased drones to monitor its gas facilities to prevent terrorist activity and to upgrade security at the upcoming FIFA World Cup, the newspaper said. The deal was estimated at $600 million.