Source: Government of Qatar
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Peace and God’s mercy, and blessings be upon you all.
Firstly, I would like to extend a warm welcome to my dear brother and friend, His Excellency Dr. Nawaf Salam, Prime Minister of the sisterly Lebanese Republic, on his visit to the State of Qatar.
I also wish to offer our sincere apologies to His Excellency for the disruption to air traffic last night. The delay was a necessary precaution to ensure his safety and the safety of all air travel. We understand he had just concluded a visit to our brothers in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and we regret any inconvenience caused.
The discussion session between the Prime Minister and I followed his meeting with His Highness the Amir. We reviewed the bilateral relations and avenues of cooperation between our two countries. Naturally, we also explored ways in which we can work together to support our brothers in Lebanon and help maintain stability there. One of the key topics we addressed was the energy sector—specifically, how we can jointly develop and rehabilitate Lebanon’s energy infrastructure. There were important discussions held between the energy ministers of both countries, and, God willing, this will be followed by a concrete action plan in the coming months, as we pledged to the Prime Minister. We also discussed the urgent need to provide energy support to Lebanon during the summer, and, God willing, this matter will be further addressed with the Qatar Fund for Development and QatarEnergy to deliver as much support as possible.
We also explored avenues for support and cooperation in transportation and air navigation. The Ministers of Transport of Qatar and of the sisterly Lebanese Republic held substantive talks on potential joint initiatives, including the reconstruction of infrastructure—particularly in areas damaged by the Israeli occupation forces.
We also took the opportunity to review regional developments and ongoing events. I must unequivocally condemn Israel’s violations of the ceasefire agreement and its continued breaches of our brotherly Lebanon’s sovereignty. Such actions are unacceptable and deserve the strongest possible denunciation. We call on the UN Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities and bring an end to these irresponsible measures in the region.
We also discussed regional developments more broadly, including progress in Lebanese–Syrian relations, for which we hope, God willing, a better future lies ahead. We noted the Prime Minister’s keen interest in deepening ties with sister Arab states, particularly neighboring countries such as Syria. The State of Qatar fully supports these endeavors.
Today, the region is facing challenges that we have not faced for a long time. Recently, the sovereignty of the State of Qatar was violated by an attack on Al Udeid Air Base carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. We condemn this act in the strongest terms and denounce such behavior by a neighboring country with which Qatar has traditionally maintained good-neighborly, transparent relations. At the same time, Qatar remains committed to its policy of good neighborliness: from the outset, we have also condemned Israeli strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran and the harm inflicted on the Iranian people. Ultimately, the Iranian people are our neighbors, and we wish them peace, growth, and development. However, any attack on the State of Qatar is unacceptable. Prior to this incident, Qatar undertook significant diplomatic efforts with regional and international partners to defuse tensions, but we were nonetheless taken by surprise by this assault on the base of a sister country.
I would like to commend the pivotal role of the armed forces under the leadership of His Highness the Amir, who remained fully informed and vigilant from the moment intelligence was received about a potential attack on bases hosting U.S. forces in the region until the threat was successfully repelled. In particular, the Qatari armed forces demonstrated exceptional bravery in defending against these attacks. As highlighted in yesterday’s press conference, thanks to God, the Qatari air defenses intercepted all incoming missiles except for one, which landed harmlessly in an open area.
I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to our sisterly and friendly countries for their solidarity with Qatar and their clear rejection of this aggression—especially our brothers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), who promptly stood by us and offered their support. Today, at the request of the Council Presidency, held by Kuwait, an emergency ministerial meeting will take place in Doha, God willing, and I will receive my fellow GCC foreign ministers to discuss this serious development in our region. I must take this opportunity to emphasize a few key points: foremost among them is the need to approach regional events with responsibility and wisdom. The recent reckless Israeli attacks on multiple countries in the region, including the Islamic Republic of Iran—alongside the aggression against us—demonstrate how such uncalculated actions only fuel instability and could have pushed the region into a far more dangerous situation.
Following the attack, the Armed Forces—under the directives of His Highness the Commander-in-Chief—carefully studied possible response scenarios. However, the State of Qatar has always prioritized diplomacy and wisdom, placing the greater good of the region above all else. The key message we aim to convey is that, thanks be to God, Qatar has demonstrated—through its capabilities and the strength of its Armed Forces—that it is fully capable of defending itself, its citizens, and its residents, united as one people. In the immediate aftermath of the attack, there were swift communications with His Highness the Amir, including a significant conversation with the President of the United States to discuss the situation, its consequences, and possible responses. This exchange opened the door to a complete ceasefire across all fronts. At the request of our American partners, Qatar contacted the Iranian side to assess their willingness to commit to such a ceasefire, which led to the announcement made by the U.S. President—a step we welcome. Despite some violations observed today, we remain hopeful that the ceasefire will hold and that efforts will return to a diplomatic path. We call on all parties to honor the agreement and urge both the American and Iranian sides to resume nuclear negotiations without delay. Qatar continues to advocate for a region free of nuclear weapons, achieved through a comprehensive agreement that ensures collective security, protects everyone’s interests, and respects Iran’s rights as our neighbor.
A short while ago, His Highness the Amir received a call from the President of Iran, during which the Iranian President expressed his regret over the incident, acknowledging that the State of Qatar was the target. We made it clear to him that Qatar, as a neighboring country, has always based its relationship with Iran on the principles of good neighborliness and did not expect such an action—especially in light of ongoing efforts to escalate the situation. While Qatar will continue to handle matters with wisdom and restraint, the violation of its sovereignty is entirely unacceptable. All necessary diplomatic and legal measures will be pursued in response. We sincerely hope the situation will be contained swiftly and that this difficult chapter be closed soon.
We must remember that the current developments in the region are a direct extension of the conflict in Gaza and the brutal aggression faced by our Palestinian brothers there. Since the beginning, the State of Qatar has worked tirelessly to prevent the escalation of this conflict and to halt the bombing of innocent civilians. In coordination with the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States, Qatar continues its efforts to secure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Despite the region’s challenging circumstances, our efforts never ceased. Our aim remains clear: to end the war, lift the injustice inflicted upon the people of Gaza, and bring peace to the region. It is time for the international community to take a unified stand, to stop Israel’s irresponsible actions, and to end both the aggression in Gaza and the use of humanitarian aid as a means of political provocation.
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to everyone here, and especially to the Prime Minister for honoring us with his visit during this sensitive time. We deeply appreciate the difficult circumstances our brotherly country, Lebanon, is facing, and we sincerely wish them all the best and a brighter future, God willing.
Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister.
MIL OSI Africa –