His Excellency Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani Thursday warned that Iran’s ongoing missile and drone attacks on Qatar and neighbouring countries will only deepen regional instability and harm global interests, including Iran’s own.Speaking at a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan at the Amiri Diwan, the prime minister said Iran’s claim that its assaults were limited to US interests “is completely false and unfounded.”He noted that soon after making those claims, Iranian forces targeted Qatar’s LNG facilities in Ras Laffan, causing significant damage that is still being assessed and briefly interrupting production flows. Although most missiles were intercepted, some struck their targets. “Fortunately, there were no casualties, thanks to the precautionary measures and timely evacuations after earlier attacks,” he said.Describing the strikes as an assault on Qatar’s economic lifeline, he said the LNG sector “is vital for our people and a source of support for humanitarian and development work around the world.” He added that by hitting these facilities, Iran was not only attacking Qatar’s livelihood but also depriving millions of less privileged people worldwide of crucial aid funded through Qatar’s resources.He underlined Qatar’s consistent opposition to any regional aggression, saying the country “condemned the Israeli attacks on Iran’s oil fields,” and warned that such actions were “reckless and unacceptable.” Qatar, he said, had made every effort to prevent a war involving Iran through diplomatic engagement, yet “Iran, surprisingly, turned against us and targeted our facilities from the second day of the conflict.”Despite this, the premier said Qatar continues to “call for calm, de-escalation and dialogue,” stressing that “wisdom must prevail” to prevent the region from plunging into a wider crisis. He cautioned that escalating attacks are already threatening safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz — a development with global economic repercussions.The prime minister thanked Turkiye for its unwavering support and for standing firmly against these attacks. He noted that both Turkiye and the UN Security Council have condemned Iran’s actions and called for their immediate cessation.“These unjustifiable aggressions will only widen the conflict and create more instability,” he warned, adding that Qatar reserves “all rights to defend itself through legal and diplomatic means.”Highlighting the countries’ close partnership, the PM said the visit of Minister Fidan reflects “the deeply established Qatar-Turkiye relations that have withstood many challenges.”Reaffirming Turkiye’s position, Minister Fidan said his country “strongly condemns the Iranian attacks” and expressed full solidarity with Qatar and other affected states. He said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been leading intense diplomatic efforts to halt the war through coordination with the United States, Iran, and Gulf countries.Fidan warned that the ongoing conflict distracts global attention from Israel’s continuing aggression against Palestinians. “This war overshadows the daily crimes of the occupation forces, allowing Israel to evade accountability,” he said, adding that Israel is “the prime beneficiary of the current chaos.”He revealed that a recent meeting in Riyadh brought together representatives from 12 countries, including Pakistan, to discuss ways to stop the hostilities. “During the meeting, we even spoke with the Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi,” he said. “We told him — while we are talking about de-escalation, your missiles are still flying. At least stop the attacks while we are speaking.”Minister Fidan concluded by thanking the prime minister for his hospitality and diplomacy during such a critical period, praising him as “a man of peace who has eased many disputes through his mediation efforts in the region and beyond.”
