Al Jazeera has been blocked in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The website of the Qatari-owned international news broadcaster could not be accessed in either country on Wednesday. Al Jazeera confirmed it had been blocked, but gave no further details.
Saudi-owned TV channel Al Arabiya said its rival had been barred after the ruler of Qatar was reported to have described Iran as an "Islamic power" and criticized President Trump's policy towards Tehran. Saudi Arabia and Iran are fierce rivals, and their proxies are fighting on opposite sides in wars in Syria and Yemen. Saudi Arabia broke off diplomatic relations with Tehran last year. "There is no wisdom in harboring hostility towards Iran," Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was quoted as saying in a report published by the official Qatar News Agency.
Qatar said its news agency had been hacked, and that the report quoting the emir was fabricated.
The country's communications ministry said in a statement that it had begun an investigation and that authorities would hold those responsible to account.
Qatar News Agency's website in English and Arabic could not be accessed on Wednesday
