Doha, March 19 (QNA) – HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani affirmed that the Iranian attacks on the State of Qatar, including the targeting of the Ras Laffan energy complex on Wednesday, represent a dangerous escalation and an unacceptable violation, amid the war between Iran and Israel and the United States of America, and ongoing Iranian attempts to drag the region into this conflict.
His Excellency said, during a press conference held Thursday with HE Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkiye Hakan Fidan, that the State of Qatar condemned from the very first hour the attack on Iranian energy facilities and infrastructure by Israel; however, the Iranian response unfortunately came through directly attacking the State of Qatar, as part of an extended series of strikes that have targeted military and civilian objectives over the past two weeks, the latest of which was at the Ras Laffan energy complex.
He explained that this act of sabotage reflects an aggressive and irresponsible policy and a dangerous escalation on the part of Iran, noting that Wednesday’s attack targeted a natural gas facility in the State of Qatar, which is a source of livelihood for the Qatari people, and also affected millions of vulnerable people whom Qatar supports across various parts of the world.
HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs added that a large portion of the attack was intercepted, but it succeeded in hitting some facilities, the damages of which are currently being assessed.
He continued that there were no human casualties as a result of the precautionary measures taken since the first attack at the beginning of this war, stressing that material losses can be compensated, but human life cannot. He affirmed that this attack has significant repercussions on global energy supplies, noting that such attacks bring no direct benefit to any country, but rather cause harm to peoples directly.
HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs also renewed the State of Qatar’s rejection of ongoing Iranian claims that these attacks target American interests or US bases in Qatar or in the region, stating that this claim is rejected and cannot be accepted under any justification.
He added that such hostile acts, their continuation, and the expansion of war will only lead to a greater escalation in the region, at a time when recent days have witnessed disruption to navigation and freedom of passage, and threats to ships and tankers in a vital corridor such as the Strait of Hormuz.
He stressed that the security of the region is a collective responsibility, and that all countries must adhere to this responsibility and be worthy of it, emphasizing the importance of an immediate halt to Iranian attacks on countries in the region and a general de-escalation