TEHRAN – An official has said that Iran can export food to Qatar by sea, as Saudi Arabia and its regional allies try to isolate the gas-rich country.

Reza Nourani, chairman of the union of exporters of agricultural products, said on Monday that food shipments sent from Iran can reach Qatar in 12 hours, Fars news agency reported.

It came after Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Libya, Bahrain and Maldives severed their ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism.

Iran has blamed U.S. President Donald Trump for creating the conflict during his recent Middle East tour, when he visited Saudi Arabia and Israel. Tehran also urged dialogue among Muslim countries to resolve the issue.

“Neighbors are permanent; geography can't be changed. Coercion is never the solution. Dialog is imperative, especially during blessed Ramadan,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted Monday.

Qatar relies on food trucked in from Saudi Arabia across its sole land border. Al-Jazeera reported that trucks carrying food for Qatar are now lining up across the border, unable to enter the country.

MH/PA