In 2017, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and launched a blockade against their former ally.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar are expected to reach an agreement within days that will help ease a standoff that has embroiled the Gulf region since 2017, three people briefed on the discussions told NBC News on Friday.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain cut off all diplomatic ties to Qatar three years ago and began a blockade against their former ally, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism. Qatar denies the claims.

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud welcomed "progress" in the Qatar talks and said a "final agreement" appeared to be within reach, The Associated Press reported.

Earlier, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said there were "some movements" that Qatar hopes will put an end to the crisis.

"We see and we believe actually that Gulf unity is very important for the security of the region, for the stability of that region and for the sake of our people this needless crisis needs to end," he told an online conference.

Jared Kushner, senior White House adviser and President Donald Trump's son-in-law, was in Saudi Arabia and Qatar this week to “resolve the rift,” according to a senior administration official, as the White House seeks to notch a final diplomatic win in the Middle East before Trump leaves office.

The preliminary deal would hinge on Saudi Arabia allowing Qataris to resume flights through Saudi airspace, according to two of the people briefed who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media. In exchange, the Qataris would drop pending international lawsuits against Saudi Arabia, according to one source.

The U.S. has long been behind a diplomatic effort to renew relations between the Arab states, but the push to resolve the airspace issue first began in earnest in February, according to one source.

#NBCNews | #KSA to alllow Qatar Airways crossing Saudi airspace in return for withdrawing international judicial proceedings.#Doha #Qatar #MarsalQatar pic.twitter.com/kOigBXed3X

— Marsal Qatar English (@MarsalQatar_EN) December 5, 2020

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