Qatar Summons Iranian Ambassador as Tehran Affirms Commitment to Good Neighborliness
The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned its Iranian ambassador, Ali Saleh Abadi, following the missile attack carried out by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard on the Al-Udeid Air Base hosting US forces. Doha reiterated its condemnation of the attack, describing it as a "blatant violation of its sovereignty and airspace," as reported by AFP.
On the other hand, the Iranian Foreign Ministry affirmed that the missile strikes targeting the base were "in implementation of the legitimate right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter," in response to what it termed as "US military aggression." This statement was made by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Ismail Qaani, in a post on the "Telegram" platform, where he also emphasized Iran's commitment to "the principle of good neighborliness and non-escalation with neighboring countries."
In reference to mediation efforts, Qatar expressed its surprise at the attack despite "the numerous efforts made to halt escalation." It also reiterated its rejection of any violation of its sovereignty, having condemned the attack immediately after it occurred.
Meanwhile, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi praised "Qatar's constructive role in preventing regional escalation," expressing his country's willingness to cooperate with regional states. He added that Iran "will not allow America and Israel to sow discord," according to his statement.
It is worth noting that the Iranian attack, which included the launch of 14 missiles towards the Al-Udeid base in addition to drones towards US bases in Iraq, was in response to a US strike targeting Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. On the other hand, a US official reported no human casualties, confirming that Washington anticipated the attack and took preemptive measures.
In a surprising development, US President Donald Trump later announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, ending 12 days of unprecedented confrontations between the two parties.
