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His Excellency Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani has rejected Iranian claims that recent missile attacks were not aimed at Qatar, saying the evidence on the ground showed otherwise.This came during a phone call HE Sheikh Mohammed received yesterday from Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi.Araghchi said the missile strikes were directed at American interests and were not intended to target the Gulf state. Yet, the prime minister a"categorically rejected" that assertion, citing the civilian and residential areas inside the country struck by the attacks. He said the areas affected included the vicinity of Hamad International Airport as well as vital infrastructure and industrial zones, including facilities linked to liquefied natural gas production.The PM described the strikes as a "flagrant violation" of Qatar's sovereignty and of international law. He added the attacks were not limited to missiles, but were ongoing through drones as well as aircraft that had entered Qatari airspace and were intercepted by the country's armed forces.He added that these Iranian actions reflected "an escalatory approach" and did not indicate any genuine desire for de-escalation or resolution, accusing Tehran of seeking to harm its neighbours and draw them into a war "that is not theirs".The premier called for an immediate halt to attacks on regional states that have sought to remain outside the conflict, urging all sides to prioritise the broader interests of their peoples.He stressed that Qatar has consistently favoured dialogue and diplomacy, but would respond to any violation of its sovereignty, security or territorial integrity.The PM emphasised that such attacks could not go unanswered, citing the country's inherent right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter. 

The UN Security Council rejected Friday a last-ditch effort to delay the reimposing of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program. The Council's decision came a day before Tehran's deadline, after Western countries announced that weeks of meetings with Iranian officials had not yielded "tangible" progress toward an agreement.The decision also comes a day before the so-called snapback mechanism, under which international sanctions on Iran would be restored as stipulated in the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, is due to take effect.Russia and China sought to delay the reimposing of UN sanctions on Iran in the 15-member UN Security Council, after only four countries voted in favor of the draft resolution they submitted, nine voted against, and two abstained.For its part, Iran warned that if the trigger mechanism is activated, it will end its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.Last Friday, the UN Security Council failed to adopt a draft resolution to extend the suspension of international sanctions on Iran.