Qatar has urged Iran to halt its attacks on regional countries, rejecting a proposal by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to investigate whether the targeted sites were linked to the United States.
Qatar reiterated its calls on Iran to halt its attacks on its territories and the rest of the region in its response to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s call for an investigation into whether the targeted sites are linked to the United States.
“The issue is simple: he stops his attacks on the countries that did not target him. This does not require an investigation committee or the formation of joint teams. What it requires is a decision from the attacking side to stop its aggression against the attacked side,” Qatar’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari told a weekly press briefing in Doha on Monday.
The comments come after Araghchi proposed a joint investigation with regional countries into the strikes to determine which targets were struck and whether they are American-linked.
In an interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed on Sunday, he also said that the U.S. developed drones similar to Iranian models used in strikes on Arab countries.
“We have also recently received information suggesting that the United States and Israel launch attacks toward Arab countries from specific points,” Araghchi said, maintaining Iran has been targeting U.S. interests in the region.
“The Americans, for example, have developed a drone similar to our Shahed drone, called ‘Lucas’. It is used to strike targets in Arab countries. We are studying this information, but I believe Israel may be targeting civilian sites to damage our relations with our Arab friends,” he explained.
Iran has attacked what it claimed to be American interests in the region since the U.S. and Israel launched the first attacks on its territory on 28 February, triggering the current regional escalation.
Qatar — a country that has repeatedly served as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran — said Iran has been targeting some civilian sites.
Iran had targeted a water tank at a power plant in Mesaieed and an energy facility in Ras Laffan Industrial City owned by QatarEnergy.
In a phone call with Araghchi on 4 March, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani rejected Iran’s claims that its attacks were not aimed at Doha.
During his latest briefing, Al-Ansari told the press that Iran’s attacks have taken place every day since the beginning of the regional escalations.
“I find it very difficult to even respond to what Mr Araghchi said in light of the fact that these attacks are ongoing every day and the threat to civilians is ongoing,” Al-Ansari said.
“The fact that we had to evacuate civilians, students and faculty during the weekend is just one realisation of what this means for the people who are living in these conditions,” he added, commending Qatar’s forces for their efforts in protecting the population.
Al-Ansari said Iran is attacking the region “in an unprovoked way.”
“The very simple truth right now is that if they stop the attacks, then we can find a way out through diplomacy, but as long as our countries are being attacked, this is not the time to establish committees,” he said.
Al-Ansari confirmed that Sunday was subjected to attacks “using five different drones”, adding that the majority of the attacks have been intercepted by the armed forces.
On Monday, Qatar’s Ministry of Defence announced that it intercepted two waves of attacks.
“Our current focus is on defending our countries and protecting them from Iranian attacks,” Al-Ansari said
