US ally Qatar shot down two Iranian jets on Monday. Leila Fadel asked Qatari government spokesman Majed Al-Ansari for his country’s view on the US attack on Iran.
Leela Fadel, Host:
Now we’re going to focus on one of the US’s allies in the region — Qatar, a fellow regional mediator. I am joined by Majeed Mohammed Al-Ansari. He is the spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Advisor to the Prime Minister. Good morning, and welcome back to the program.
Majed Mohammed Al-Ansari: Good morning. Thanks so much for having me, Leela.
Fadel: I know your country shot down two Iranian warplanes yesterday. Moving forward, does Qatar plan to respond to Iran’s attacks on civilian and military infrastructure?
Al-Ansari: We reserve the right to retaliate. This is a decision now with our leaders. We have proved our military capability in thwarting all these attacks on our country, including the attack on the two Sukhoi planes that crashed in the Gulf. And we will do the same and we will continue to defend our country against any missiles, drones or fighter jets that invade our airspace.
Since the start of this escalation, we have been targeted by more than a hundred ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles, 39 drones and fighter jets, and fortunately, most of them have been thwarted by our forces. We are now working very closely with our allies in the region and beyond to ensure that we are safe as a whole, and we are working together to prevent these attacks from causing any harm to our countries.
Fadel: So are the Gulf countries considering a coordinated response?
Al-Ansari: As I said, these decisions are under our leadership right now, but we fully reserve the right to retaliate.
Fadel: Did the US warn you that it was going to launch this attack?
Al-Ansari: As we said before, we were not aware that these attacks were taking place. We are working very closely with the administration in negotiations to support the Omani-led mediation. We are now coordinating very closely with the US administration and with CENTCOM in Doha. And as you know, there was a joint statement between the GCC and the United States condemning Iran’s unprovoked attacks on our countries, including civilian targets including the airport, our fuel facilities and residential areas in Qatar.
Fadel: Are you talking about the Iranian leadership? Is there any communication?
Al-Ansari: We have not resumed communication with the Iranians since the attacks on our sovereignty began. We are now engaged in protective measures to ensure the safety of our people and residents in Qatar.
When we are given a choice, we always take the choice for peace. But when it comes to threats to our sovereignty, we have always been – this is not acceptable and we have made it clear that we will do everything to prevent any attack on our country.
We – during the attack and during the twelve-day war on our country, we reserved the right to retaliate, but when there was an opportunity for a ceasefire we chose peace, preferring regional security over retaliation. And it has happened again now in a more intense manner and with clear targeting of our civil infrastructure and therefore, it cannot remain unanswered.
Fadel: This cannot remain unanswered.
Al-Ansari: Yes, exactly.
Fadel: When you say it doesn’t go unanswered, what do you mean?
Al-Ansari: As I said, we have our leaders right now. Be it legal, political or military – all possible venues are being discussed. And when there is a decision to be made by our leaders, we announce it.
Fadel: Qatar shares its underwater gas field with Iran. Your country has stopped LNG production after two gas facilities were targeted. How long do you expect this to continue? And what are the economic costs here?
Al-Ansari: Of course, the financial costs on the international economy are very high. You have to remember, Qatar produces 20% of international LNG, international natural gas supply. From east to west Qatar is heavily dependent on natural gas. And we have always proved ourselves as a reliable partner to our energy partners around the world, supplying them with energy during dark times. But these are very difficult times, and we prioritize not only the safety of the people working in our facilities, but also production. As you know, our facilities in Ras Laffan were targeted and the industrial complex in Mesayeed (ph) and this is why the decision was made to stop production, assess the damage and assess the risks. And going forward, of course, this situation, we don’t know when our region will calm down and we will stop some kind of war. But the priority right now is the safety of our production and the safety of our people working there and making sure that all these attacks do not cause more damage to the energy production in our countries.
FADEL: We last spoke in September after an Israeli airstrike on Hamas leaders in Doha killed six people, including a Qatari security official. And at the time, you said that Israel was sabotaging peace talks with Hamas by bombing mediators. Now, the US is still negotiating with Iran over its nuclear capabilities and Oman was very positive about the outcome when the US carried out these attacks over the weekend to decapitate the leadership of the Iranian regime. Was that decision any different than the one in September?
Al-Ansari: When it comes to ongoing negotiations, we are supporting the Omani-led mediation, the Omanis are stepping up. We do not know why the decision was taken to escalate the negotiations in this way. This is a question that should be addressed to the US administration.
From our point of view, we have always believed that the only way forward for the region is through dialogue, to find solutions that provide security to all the people of the region and that is only possible at the dialogue table. Yes, there is aggravation here today, but in the end, it will only be resolved through dialogue.
We’ve always said — and this is a I-told-you-to-you story in the history of our region — we’ve always said, since the October 7 attack and the subsequent violence and war on the people of Gaza, we’ve continued to say. And what we’re seeing right now is exactly what we’d expect if that surge goes unchecked, of course.
And we go back to the source, you know, the statement that we’ve always made, which is that we must stop, through dialogue, through pressure from the international community, all actions of escalation in the regions. We understand the security concerns of all parties involved, but finding a peaceful outcome to this situation is the only way forward. For us in Qatar, right now, we are busy protecting ourselves and making sure our people are safe. You can be assured that when there is a window of opportunity, Qatar, given a choice, will choose – choose peace and choose mediation over escalation.
Fadel: Majeed Mohammed Al-Ansari is the spokesman for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and adviser to the Prime Minister. Thank you for your time.
Al-Ansari: Thanks for having me.
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