His Excellency Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani received a phone call from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran Abbas Araghchi.During the call, the latest developments in the military escalation between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran over the past two days were reviewed. HE Prime Minister expressed the State of Qatar's condemnation and rejection of the attacks that targeted commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz despite the atmosphere of calm and the efforts made to reduce escalation in the region. His Excellency stressed that such actions would undermine trust, threaten international maritime security, and harm efforts to consolidate regional security and stability. His Excellency also stressed the need for all parties to commit to dialogue and diplomacy, and to implement what was agreed upon within the framework of the memorandum of understanding, in order to contribute to maintaining the security of the region, preserving the gains that have been achieved, and enhancing regional stability. During the call, HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs reiterated the State of Qatar’s support for all efforts aimed at containing the escalation and reaching a comprehensive agreement that contributes to consolidating security and stability and achieving sustainable peace in the region.

Qatar has vaulted six places to rank 12th globally in the mid-2026 Quality of Life Index published by the Numbeo global database, placing it among the world's top 15 nations and second in the Gulf — confirmation, if any were needed, that the country's long game on infrastructure, services and safety is paying dividends where it matters most: in the daily lives of the people who call it home.The National Planning Council highlighted the leap, noting that Qatar's overall score rose from 182.7 to 188.6 — progress it attributed to the country's long-term development approach, built on sustainable infrastructure, enhanced public services, improved facilities and a strengthened healthcare system. The Council stressed that maintaining high standards of safety and stability continues to underpin a secure and prosperous environment for individuals and businesses alike.The company Qatar now keeps tells its own story. The mid-2026 table is led by The Netherlands on 205.6, followed by Luxembourg, Oman, Denmark and Switzerland — and Qatar, at 188.6, sits ahead of Sweden (187.6), Australia (186.8), New Zealand (186.2), the United States (184.7) and Spain (183.4). Further down the table, the United Kingdom (173.8) and France (172.6) trail well behind. Few oil-era sceptics would have predicted a Gulf state outscoring Scandinavia on liveability, yet here it is in black and white.A closer look at the numbers reveals where Qatar's strength lies. Its purchasing power score of 173.5 is among the highest in the world, bettered only by neighbouring Kuwait (179.7) — residents' riyals simply stretch further than most currencies anywhere.Its safety score of 84.8 is likewise among the very best globally, edged out only by the UAE (86.3), while a property price-to-income ratio of 4.5 makes housing markedly more attainable than in the crowded capitals of Europe and East Asia, where the figure routinely runs into double digits.The index, a composite measure of the factors shaping daily living conditions and overall wellbeing, assesses countries on safety, purchasing power, healthcare, housing affordability, cost of living, commuting time, pollution and climate.Within the Gulf, Qatar's second place puts it behind only Oman, which ranks a remarkable third in the world on 203.9 — the region's standard-bearer this cycle — and comfortably clear of the UAE (168.5), Kuwait (158.6) and Saudi Arabia (154.5). That two Gulf states now sit inside the global top 12 speaks to a wider regional transformation in which quality of life has become as much a marker of national ambition as GDP.There remains room to grow. The index's climate and pollution components — no respecter of national planning, the Gulf summer — weigh on Qatar's score, suggesting the environmental agenda is where the next gains lie. But the trajectory is unmistakable: six places in a single cycle, a rising score, and a seat at the top table of the world's most liveable nations.

The State of Qatar strongly condemned the repeated Iranian attacks on the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the State of Kuwait, considering them a blatant violation of the sovereignty of these countries and a flagrant breach of international law.In a statement on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed the need to spare the region the repercussions of these unjustified attacks, to continue the path of dialogue and diplomacy, to de-escalate tensions, and to build upon the gains achieved within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding, thereby contributing to the consolidation of security and stability at the regional and international levels.The ministry reiterated the State of Qatar's full solidarity with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the State of Kuwait, and its support for all measures they take to preserve their sovereignty and security.