Germany's Merkel calls on regional powers to solve the deepening GCC crisis

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday that she was concerned about the escalating situation in the Gulf, and called for the regional powers to work together to defuse the intensifying political crisis.

"We have to see that the political solution of conflicts ... such as the situation in Syria, such as the situation in Libya or the situation in Iraq, won't happen if certain players are no longer even included in the conversation, and that includes Qatar, it includes Turkey, it includes Iran," she said, speaking alongside Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico City.

She described the situation as “very unsettling” and called for the GCC, along with Iran and Turkey to work to achieve a political solution to the diplomatic crisis.

Qatar has a land border with Saudi Arabia, and is separated by Gulf waters from nearby Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. 

Riyadh has closed the border with Qatar, giving diplomatic staff 48 hours to leave the country. A significant proportion of Qatar's food supplies has for years been imported over the Saudi border.

The UAE also announced its citizens would no longer be allowed to visit Doha.

However, Doha insisted the sanctions, which include the Gulf states severing air, land and sea links with Qatar, "will not affect the daily life of citizens and residents".

"The Qatari government will take all measures necessary... to foil attempts to affect or harm Qatar's society and economy," the statement said.