Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari affirmed the State of Qatar's support for all diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation and ensuring the stability of the region.During the ministry's weekly media briefing on Tuesday, Dr. Al Ansari stressed that the end of all crises is achieved at the dialogue table, even when conflicts involve military escalation.He said that getting to the negotiating table quickly and stopping attacks would benefit the peoples of the region and international peace and security, and would enhance global economic stability.Dr. Al Asari emphasized that any attack on the State of Qatar is an attack on its sovereignty, noting that the current circumstances require first repelling the daily attacks on Qatar before talking about mediation or peaceful solutions.He also reiterated the State of Qatar's stance calling for a cessation to the escalation in the region, recalling Doha's warning years ago that uncontrolled escalation could lead to disastrous consequences, and that what the region is currently witnessing represents a dangerous level of escalation that can be contained if the parties return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy.Dr. Al Ansari revealed that the only official contact between the State of Qatar and Iran since the beginning of the war came through a telephone call between HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, noting that Doha's focus is currently on defending the state and the diplomatic efforts related to that.He pointed out that the Iranian statements, which included an apology and a commitment not to attack Arab countries, have not been interpreted into reality on the ground, as the region witnessed attacks on the UAE and Bahrain, followed by an attack on Qatar itself, stressing that Qatar will continue to defend its territory and national interests.The Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that the State of Qatar continues its joint diplomatic efforts with the GCC countries through continuous meetings and communications to ensure full coordination at the defence and political levels. He noted that any Gulf statement that was considered a comment on statements or apologies from the Iranian side that were not interpreted into reality on the ground has become unnecessary as long as the attacks have not stopped.He pointed out that Iranian attacks on the State of Qatar continue daily, but Qatar's Armed Forces continue to repel and deter this aggression with high efficiency, and without the attacks causing significant damage on the ground. He stressed that security in the country remains stable thanks to the efforts of all national forces, and thanks to all the necessary precautions taken by the State of Qatar from a military standpoint to protect its territory and infrastructure. This has enabled the interception and thwarting of most of the attacks that targeted the country, as no attacks have been recorded on the vital civilian infrastructure on which the lives of the population depend.Regarding the repercussions of the Iranian attacks on the local economy, Dr. Al Ansari said that the attacks affected the Qatari and global economy, noting that Qatar was forced to halt production in some facilities as a precautionary measure, in the first action of its kind in the country's history, indicating that the resumption of production is linked to the technical conditions of the competent authorities.He considered the attacks on these facilities in the region a dangerous precedent that could cause significant economic damage to the countries of the region and also affect the global economy. He stressed that the repercussions of targeting energy facilities or disrupting maritime navigation in the region will not be limited to its geographical scope, but will be felt by global markets.He said that targeting water facilities, desalination plants, water reservoirs, food and medicine stockpiles, or pharmaceutical production facilities poses a grave danger to the people of the region and beyond. He emphasized the need to stop such attacks immediately, regardless of who is behind them, and pointing to the direct impact of attacks on vital facilities in some Gulf countries on the lives of residents. Dr. Al Ansari stressed during the weekly briefing that targeting shipping lanes and maritime straits, including shipments of oil, food and medicine, is unacceptable and poses a high risk to all countries in the region.He affirmed Qatar's support for all diplomatic efforts aimed at avoiding escalation and protecting the safety of navigation in the Arabian Gulf.Dr. Al Ansari stated that the State of Qatar has taken all necessary measures to ensure the resilience of the national economy, while maintaining full commitment to international clients until conditions return to normal and the global economy resumes recovery.He warned of the danger of targeting vital infrastructure in the region, as it constitutes a direct threat to civilian lives and could lead to a widespread humanitarian catastrophe, with economic repercussions extending to various parts of the world.Regarding strategic partnerships with the United States of America and other allies in the field of defence and security, Al Ansari confirmed that these partnerships are not in question, as they represent a fundamental pillar in strengthening regional security and deterring any threats.He pointed to the existence of almost daily communications with US officials at various levels, and noted that Qatar deals with the on-ground reality according to the existing diplomatic coordination, and that decisions regarding the continuation or adjustment of defence strategies and monitoring of facilities are made based on the current data.Al Ansari stressed that the sovereignty of the State of Qatar is non-negotiable, affirming that the sovereign decision regarding its diplomatic relations or hosting any missions or international partners is a purely Qatari decision.Regarding Russia's communication with the State of Qatar to play a mediation role, Al Ansari explained that contacts with the Russian Federation continue at multiple levels, but there is no specific information in this regard, adding that any role that contributes to stopping escalation and ending attacks on Qatari territory is welcomed.With regard to diplomatic coordination, the Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that Qatar maintains almost daily contacts with its regional and international partners to ensure security and stability in the region, affirming that international support and solidarity include defensive contributions and ongoing diplomatic cooperation.He called on the international community to use all its capabilities to ensure the immediate cessation of these attacks, stressing that any attack on civilian infrastructure and the people's right to security and stability will not be accepted and will be responded to accordingly.Regarding diplomatic movement, Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari pointed to the continuation of Qatari diplomatic efforts to follow developments in the region. Qatar has received more than 57 international calls during recent days from leaders and ministers from various countries around the world to express solidarity and follow the situation, focusing on addressing threats resulting from the ongoing Iranian attacks on Qatar and the escalation of tension in the region.He also noted that HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, chaired the delegation of the State of Qatar at the joint summit of the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and a number of sisterly and friendly countries and the European Union via video conference.Participants discussed developments in the military escalation and its serious repercussions on regional and international security and stability, as well as ways for the parties to return to the negotiating table through peaceful means.Qatar's condemnation in the strongest terms of the Iranian attacks on its territory was expressed, while praising the efforts of its armed forces in defending the country, and affirming its full readiness to protect its sovereignty, its people and its vital infrastructure.It also renewed its rejection of attacks on the territories of sisterly and friendly countries and affirmed its full support for these countries in all measures aimed at preserving their sovereignty, security and stability.He praised the statement issued by the European Union, which reflects the strength of relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and calls for stopping escalation and preserving regional security and stability.Al Ansari also noted that HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi chaired the delegation of the State of Qatar last Sunday, at the extraordinary session of the Council of the League of Arab States at the ministerial level via video conference.He pointed to the State of Qatar's continued efforts through official statements and diplomatic messages to the United Nations and the international community to condemn the Iranian violations and reject any justifications for them, including the attacks on Bahrain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, affirming its commitment to protecting its national sovereignty.
