Qatar Prime Minister addresses regional tensions, condemns Iranian attack on US base near Doha

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, delivered a live press conference in Doha this afternoon, Tuesday June 24, and said Iran’s attack on the US base near Doha was unacceptable.

Discussing the recent developments in the Middle East, Al Thani reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to diplomacy and mediation efforts in the region.

“The attack on the state of Qatar is an unacceptable act, especially as Qatar has been making great diplomatic efforts in order to de-escalate the situation,” said Sheikh Mohammed, adding Doha was “taken by surprise” by the move from what it considers a “neighbourly” country.

He praised the Qatari armed forces for “fending off the attack”, saying they shot down all the Iranian-deployed missiles except one.

The conference comes in the wake of heightened tensions following Iran’s missile strikes on the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Monday.

Qatar confirmed that while the majority of the missiles were intercepted, one missile impacted the base without causing casualties. The Qatari government condemned the attack and called for all parties to return to the negotiating table to prevent further escalation.

In his address, Al Thani emphasized the importance of dialogue and cooperation among all stakeholders to ensure regional stability and security.

He also reiterated Qatar’s readiness to facilitate discussions aimed at de-escalating the current tensions.