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HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani has discussed bilateral relations and regional diplomatic efforts in a phone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkiye Hakan Fidan. The talks focused on strengthening cooperation between Doha and Ankara, as well as coordinating positions on ongoing mediation initiatives involving the Islamic Republic of Pakistan between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Both sides also discussed efforts to support de-escalation in the region, stressing the importance of diplomatic solutions to reduce tensions and promote stability. HE Sheikh Mohammed stressed that all parties should respond positively to ongoing mediation efforts, in order to tackle the underlying causes of the crisis through dialogue and achieve a durable settlement that helps prevent further escalation. 

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani received a phone call from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Wednesday. The call discussed regional developments, particularly updates relating to the announcement of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran.  The president affirmed that reaching a ceasefire is an important opportunity to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region and renewed to HH the Amir his condemnation of the Iranian attacks that targeted Qatar, expressing Turkiye's appreciation for Qatar's wise approach in dealing with these related developments.  HH the Amir expressed his appreciation to the president for his sincere sentiments, affirming Qatar's commitment to supporting regional and international efforts aimed at de-escalation and enhancing security and stability in the region.  HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani also received a phone call from French President Emmanuel Macron. They discussed the latest regional and international developments, particularly the ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran, and international efforts to solidify the truce.  The call also addressed the political and economic implications of the truce, with both sides emphasising the importance of reaching a comprehensive agreement that guarantees a permanent ceasefire involving all parties, especially given its impact on the stability of global energy markets and international maritime traffic, and the importance of ensuring the security of maritime routes and freedom of navigation.  They also reviewed the developments in Lebanon, with both sides stressing the importance of de-escalation, containing tensions, and intensifying diplomatic efforts to maintain regional peace. 

A ballistic missile launched from Iran and heading towards Turkish airspace via Iraq and Syria was destroyed by Nato air defence systems, Turkish officials said Wednesday.The defence ministry said it had been "engaged and neutralised by Nato air-and-missile defence assets deployed in the eastern Mediterranean".It did not specify the missile's intended target. Iran has been hitting sites across the region in retaliation after the US and Israel launched strikes against it on Saturday.A Turkish official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the missile had been "aimed at a base in Greek Cyprus but veered off course".Officials said fragments that fell in the Dortyol district in southern Turkey, near the Syrian border, had been identified as pieces of the interceptor used to neutralise "the threat in the air".No casualties were reported.The incident drew condemnation from Nato."Nato stands firmly with all allies, including Turkiye, as Iran continues its indiscriminate attacks across the region," Nato spokeswoman Allison Hart said, using Turkiye's official name."Our deterrence and defence posture remains strong across all domains, including when it comes to air and missile defence."Ankara summoned the Iranian ambassador to convey its "reaction and concerns" over the incident while Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned Tehran against steps that could widen the conflict, a diplomatic source said.Fidan told his Iranian counterpart in a phone call that "any steps that could lead to the spread of conflict should be avoided", the source added.In an evening address, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkiye was "taking all the necessary precautions" in consultation with its Nato allies and was issuing "warnings in the clearest terms to prevent similar incidents from happening again"."If we, as a nation, want to live in peace and tranquility... we must constantly increase our deterrent capabilities. In these difficult times... we are leaving absolutely nothing to chance regarding the security of our borders and airspace," he said.Turkiye, a majority Nato member, shares a 500-kilometre border with Iran.Erdogan has described the US-Israeli strikes on Iran which sparked the conflict as "illegal" and Fidan also criticised Iran's retaliatory strikes against Gulf nations and beyond, saying it was the "wrong strategy"."The underlying strategy seems to be: 'If I am going to sink, I will take the region down with me'," Fidan said in an interview late Tuesday.Analysts said the trajectory of the Iranian missile and its destruction by Nato systems further raised the stakes for a widening regional war, even if there was no clear evidence Iran intended to strike Turkey."Turkiye will not want to become embroiled in the US-Israel attack on Iran, which it has criticised, but if Iran launches more missiles clearly aimed at targets on Turkish territory, Ankara will consider its own direct retaliation," said Hamish Kinnear of risk-intelligence firm Verisk Maplecroft.The defence ministry said: "Any steps necessary to defend our territory and airspace will be taken decisively and without hesitation.""We reserve the right to respond to any hostile actions directed at our country," it added. 

Three earthquakes struck Balikesir province in western Turkiye, the first measuring 4.7 and the other two measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale.According to the Turkish Anadolu Agency (AA), the tremors occurred at depths of 12.31 km and 7.89 km.Turkiye, which lies on a major global seismic fault line, experienced a devastating earthquake on Feb. 6, 2023, which claimed the lives of more than 50,000 people and caused widespread destruction of infrastructure in several provinces, in addition to thousands of injuries.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan co-chaired Wednesday the 11th meeting of the Qatari-Turkish Supreme Strategic Committee at the Amiri Diwan. At the outset of the meeting, His Highness the Amir welcomed the Turkish president and his accompanying delegation, wishing them a pleasant stay in Qatar and wishing the strategic relations between the two countries continued development and growth across all areas of partnership to achieve the interests of the two fraternal peoples. He pointed out that the 11th meeting of the Supreme Strategic Committee reflects the strength of the relationship between the two countries, stressing his keenness to strengthen and develop relations to broader horizons. **media[372048]** For his part, the president of Turkiye voiced his thanks and appreciation to His Highness the Amir for the warm welcome and generous hospitality, noting that bilateral relations between the two countries are witnessing remarkable development in various fields, and looking forward to strengthening them to achieve the supreme interests of the two fraternal peoples. During the meeting, they discussed strategic cooperation relations and ways to enhance and develop them across several areas, especially in defence, trade, investment, energy, and information technology. **media[372045]** They also discussed key regional and international issues and developments, as well as the current situation in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly those related to consolidating the ceasefire, supporting peace, and the flow of humanitarian aid to the Strip. HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, HE Chief of the Amiri Diwan Abdullah bin Mohammed al-Khulaifi, along with a number of ministers and senior offcials attended the meeting. **media[372534]** On Turkiye's side, the meeting was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, along with a number of members of the official delegation accompanying the president. Earlier, His Highness the Amir and the president of Turkiye held a bilateral meeting, where they exchanged views on a number of topics and issues of common concern. **media[372532]** His Highness the Amir held a luncheon banquet in honour of the president of Turkiye and his accompanying delegation. President Erdogan was accorded an official reception ceremony upon arrival to the Amiri Diwan.

Turkish inflation came in higher than expected in August, at nearly 33% annually and more than 2% on a monthly basis, readings that are likely to slow the central bank's plans to cut interest rates as it also weighs stronger economic growth.Annual consumer price inflation stood at 32.95% last month, official data showed on Wednesday, above a Reuters poll estimate of 32.6%. It was up 2.04% on a monthly basis.In further evidence that consumer demand remains strong despite the effects of prolonged monetary tightening, separate data on Monday had shown that Turkiye's economy grew by 4.8% in the second quarter, above expectations.The data flurry comes at a jittery time for investors in Turkiye. A court on Tuesday ousted the Istanbul provincial head of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), dealing a fresh judicial blow to opponents of President Tayyip Erdogan and triggering sharp falls in Turkish share and bond markets.According to a poll conducted in July, economists had expected the central bank to cut its policy rate to 36% by year-end, or some 700 basis points from the current 43%. However the latest inflation and GDP data could cause it to slow the pace of the easing, analysts said."Looking ahead to the central bank's September 11 meeting, we expect the market's current consensus for a 300bps rate cut to moderate towards 200-250bps," Oyak Securities said in a note to clients on Wednesday.In July, the central bank cut the policy rate by 300 basis points, relaunching an easing cycle paused in March, and it promised to use all policy tools in the event of a significant and persistent deterioration in inflation."After Wednesday's GDP growth data and today's inflation data, the probability of the central bank cutting rates by 300 basis points in September has become very low," Hakan Kara, a former central bank chief economist now on the faculty at Bilkent University in Ankara, said on X.The monthly inflation reading for August of 2.04% was affected by higher food, education, and housing prices, as well as the continued impact of a mid-year update of taxes on tobacco and fuel items.In July, CPI inflation stood at 33.52% on an annual basis, while the monthly reading was 2.06%.In the Reuters poll, the monthly inflation rate for August had been expected to come in at 1.8%.The domestic producer price index rose 2.48% month-on-month in August for an annual rise of 25.16%, the data showed.Inflation is seen slowing to 30% at the end of this year according to the poll median, higher than the central bank forecast range of 25%-29%.