Doha, March 4 Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, firmly rejected Iran’s claim that recent missile attacks were not directed at Qatar, stating that evidence on the ground indicates otherwise.
The rebuttal was delivered during a Wednesday phone call between the Prime Minister and Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi.
According to Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Araghchi stated that the missile strikes targeted American interests and were not intended for Qatar.
Sheikh Mohammed rejected this claim, citing that civilian and residential areas in Qatar were struck.
He specified that the affected areas included the vicinity of Hamad International Airport, key infrastructure, industrial zones, and facilities related to liquefied natural gas production.
Sheikh Mohammed called the strikes a "flagrant violation" of Qatar's sovereignty and international law. He added that the attacks included not only missiles but also ongoing drone activity and unauthorized aircraft, which were intercepted by Qatari armed forces.
He stated that these Iranian actions reflect an "escalatory approach" and show no genuine intent to de-escalate or resolve. He accused Tehran of attempting to harm its neighbours and involve them in a conflict "that is not theirs."
The Prime Minister called for an immediate end to attacks on regional states seeking to remain outside the conflict and urged all parties to prioritize their people's broader interests.
He emphasised that while Qatar supports dialogue and diplomacy, it will respond to any violation of its sovereignty, security, or territorial integrity.
He warned that such attacks would not go unanswered, citing Qatar’s right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
The escalation began on February 28, when the US and Israel launched coordinated military strikes against Iran, called “Operation Epic Fury,” resulting in the deaths of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior commanders.
Washington said that the strikes were a preemptive effort to degrade Iran's nuclear and missile infrastructure after diplomatic talks in Geneva failed. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff stated that Tehran had rejected a proposal to dismantle its missile program and end support for proxy groups.
In response, Iran launched missile and drone strikes against U.S. assets and bases in several Gulf nations, including Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, and Bahrain.
This has brought several Gulf Arab states that host major U.S. military installations directly into the conflict, forcing them to balance sovereignty concerns with the risk of being targeted.
The crisis has raised global concern over the Strait of Hormuz, a route for about 20 percent of the world’s oil, as tanker traffic is disrupted and energy prices rise.
--IANS
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