🔻Qatar: We believe negotiations are the only way out, not sanctions

Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson, at a press conference about the U.S. economic pressure plan on Iran, said these sanctions are unilateral and that Qatar supports resolving the dispute through mediation.

Majed Al Ansari said: “These sanctions are unilateral. They are not UN sanctions. They are not multilateral sanctions, and therefore this question should be raised with those who decided to impose these sanctions.”

From our point of view, the priority has always been to reach a diplomatic solution through dialogue. We ask the parties to fully participate in the negotiations and in the mediation process led by Qatar, Pakistan, and other regional actors, and we believe this is the only way out of this crisis. Once again, we ask all parties to enter the negotiations in good faith.”

According to Al Jazeera, Al Ansari described Iran’s action of closing the Strait of Hormuz as a violation of freedom of navigation under international law, and said Qatar’s armed forces are prepared to respond to any threat from any side.

However, he emphasized that “what matters to the government of Qatar is the return of shipping to normal conditions in the Strait of Hormuz, the resumption of exports, guaranteeing global energy security, guaranteeing global food security, and ensuring the safety of supply chains.”

After Pakistan, Qatar is among the mediators of talks between Iran and the United States, although Iran has damaged Qatar’s gas facilities and the U.S. airbase, Al Adid, has been bombed repeatedly.

Iran also says that three pilots of two fighter jets that were shot down in an air attack on Qatar at the start of the war are being held in Qatar, and it wants access to them.