Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has pointed to a strong possibility that the United States and Iran could reach a diplomatic solution , despite the publicly declared differences between them.
In an interview with The New Arab 's Arabic-language edition, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed , excerpts of which were published on Wednesday , he stressed that any US-Iran agreement must take into account the interests of the countries of the region and the wider world.
He also reiterated Qatar's rejection of using the Strait of Hormuz as a pressure card in any conflict.
While emphasising the need for a framework for coexistence based on respect for sovereignty, good neighbourly relations, and non-interference in any party's security, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman also underlined that Qatar's sovereignty was a "red line" that would never be compromised.
He said civilian facilities should never become targets, describing them as "a source of livelihood for our peoples, the backbone of our economy, and part of global energy security".
On the economic impact of the recent Iranian attacks on vital facilities in Qatar, the prime minister said the country's economy had repeatedly proven capable of absorbing shocks and dealing with them.
He added that the state had "clear plans, flexible strategies, and financial reserves sufficient for long periods", while noting that the coming phase would include measures to improve and rationalise public spending.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman also said recent developments in the region had confirmed that the security of Gulf Cooperation Council states is indivisible, and that confronting shared threats requires genuine Gulf integration that matches the scale of the challenges.
Responding to a question on whether Qatar would review its military ties with the United States, the Qatari prime minister said relations with Washington are strategic and based on a comprehensive partnership, shared interests, and longstanding understandings.
Below is the full text of The New Arab's Arabic edition's interview with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani . The war in the region has stopped, but the crisis continues, and the positions and statements coming from Washington and Tehran remain far apart. From your perspective, and through your contacts and follow-up efforts, where do things stand now? We are monitoring developments and remain in contact with all parties. Despite the differences in positions between Tehran and Washington, we believe there is a strong possibility of reaching a diplomatic solution. Of course, this depends on circumstances that are changing daily.
In Qatar , and in coordination with our brothers in the Gulf states, we are working to create space for diplomacy to reach a solution that ends this crisis and reopens the Strait of Hormuz. This is our priority.
What encourages us is the positive progress in the exchange of messages between Washington and Tehran, as indicated by recent developments. We are also in contact with the Pakistani mediator, who is making efforts in this regard.
We say this cautiously, because the tensions unfolding in the Strait of Hormuz mean we must be careful in our assessments and expectations. But in all circumstances, we hope for a breakthrough, and we are working with others towards that goal. Iranian officials continue to insist on keeping navigation through the Strait of Hormuz as leverage. What can the Gulf states do? Is Doha seriously considering alternatives to Hormuz for its exports and imports? Allow me to begin with an important point—that the entire world is paying the price for the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
From the very first day of the crisis, we made our position clear. We reject the use of this passage as a pressure card in any conflict, whether political or military. Freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle of international law and is not open to compromise.
In all of our meetings, we have spoken frankly to all parties. Closing the Strait will solve nothing. It will only deepen the crisis and expose the interests of countries in the region to serious risks. Its impact would also extend globally, affecting energy and food supplies and market stability.
As for what the Gulf Cooperation Council states can do, I would point to the directive issued by Their Majesties and Highnesses, the leaders of the GCC states, during their consultative summit in Jeddah last week. The leaders instructed the General Secretariat to accelerate the completion of all interconnected joint projects, including the oil and gas pipeline projects.
This directive reflects a genuine collective will to protect our strategic interests and guarantee the security of our supplies. Qatar submitted several letters to the United Nations regarding the Iranian attacks that targeted civilian facilities in Qatar with more than 66 missiles and drones, including energy projects in Ras Laffan and Mesaieed. You also announced the arrest of Iranian spies in the country. Despite this, you did not withdraw your ambassador from Tehran, nor did you ask the Iranian ambassador to leave. Telephone contacts between you and Iranian officials have also continued. Why are you so keen to keep relations with Iran normal? Our position before the war began was clear, and we declared it publicly to everyone—we oppose any escalation and believe dialogue is the only way to address disputes.
Our contacts with all parties never stopped for a single moment because we were committed to preventing the situation from exploding and supporting every effort to keep the region from confrontation.
When the unjustified attacks against us took place, despite Qatar being a sovereign state that was not party to the war, we clearly condemned them and affirmed our right to self-defence in accordance with international law. Our sovereignty is a red line that will never be compromised.
At the same time, Iran is our neighbour. We share the same geography and intertwined interests between our peoples. We must find a formula for coexistence based on respect for sovereignty, good neighbourly relations, and non-interference in the security of any party. This is the only path to regional stability. During a military parade in the streets of Tehran, the RasGas project in Qatar was specifically highlighted as a future target for Iranian attacks should the war resume. How did you interpret this? Qatar condemns any attack on civilian facilities, regardless of its source. These facilities are not military targets. They are a source of livelihood for our people, the backbone of our economy, and part of global energy security.
We expect the Iranian side to abide by the same principle and not turn our civilian facilities into a card in any conflict. This is the responsible behaviour that preserves security for all of us in the region. The recent Gulf consultative summit decided to "intensify military integration among GCC states and accelerate the completion of the early warning missile defence system". We have also heard about the possibility of reviving a joint Gulf defence system. Is there serious intent to activate such a system? Are your priorities in the Gulf today focused on strengthening joint defence systems? Recent developments in the region, and the unprecedented challenges they have created, have confirmed one undeniable reality: the security of the Gulf Cooperation Council states is indivisible.
Confronting shared threats requires genuine Gulf integration on a scale commensurate with these challenges. It must translate our leaders' unified political will into effective systems on the ground.
The decisions taken at the Gulf consultative summit in Jeddah reinforced this direction. The summit stressed the need to intensify military integration among GCC states and accelerate the completion of the ballistic missile early warning system.
These are two essential pillars for strengthening our collective security and deterring any attempt to undermine our sovereignty or target our capabilities.
As for operational details and technical arrangements, these will be announced in due course through the GCC General Secretariat.
Iran is our neighbour, and we must find a formula for coexistence based on respect for sovereignty and shared interests
- Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani Could Qatar review its military relationship with the United States, particularly with the presence of the American base in Qatar, given that the base played no role in defending Qatar during the Iranian attacks in June and March, or in repelling the Israeli missile attack on Doha last September? First, we must emphasise the depth of our strategic relationship with the United States. It is a relationship based on a comprehensive partnership, shared interests, and longstanding understandings.
As you know, ways to strengthen our defence and security ties are reviewed annually through the Qatar-US Strategic Dialogue, which covers all areas of cooperation.
During the seventh round of this dialogue, held in Washington last December, both countries reaffirmed the strength of the defence and security partnership. We agreed to strengthen regional deterrence capabilities, develop joint defence capacities, and support economic growth through defence investments.
I would also point to my discussions with US Vice President JD Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during my visit to Washington at the end of last March.
We discussed cooperation between the two countries and ways to strengthen it across various fields, foremost among them the defence partnership, in light of the exceptional circumstances the region is witnessing and in a way that serves our shared interests. Do you fear that President Donald Trump could strike a deal with the Iranian leadership at the expense of the Gulf states, particularly regarding the Strait of Hormuz, such as the United States and Iran sharing transit fees through the strait? Has Qatar received American guarantees that Gulf interests will be taken into account in any potential agreement with Iran? We are looking towards an agreement between Washington and Tehran that provides lasting solutions to all the unresolved issues between the two countries.
Any such agreement must take into account the interests of the countries of the region, as well as the wider world, which the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has directly harmed.
You have likely seen the categorical rejection expressed by the Gulf consultative summit regarding Iran’s illegal measures. There was a clear rejection of the closure of the strait, obstruction of navigation, and threats to its security. There was also rejection of any measure that negatively affects navigation, including the imposition of fees on ships passing through the strait under any pretext.
Let me state this clearly: the security of the region and freedom of navigation are red lines that are not open to compromise in any negotiations, regardless of the parties involved.
The tensions in the Strait of Hormuz require caution in our judgments and expectations
- Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani How does Qatar view the nature of an agreement between Washington and Tehran that would address the concerns of the Gulf states, end the war in the region, and strengthen security and stability, especially as it is said that Gulf interests are not part of the negotiations between Washington and Tehran or the Pakistani mediation efforts? Is this true? And what do you mean by the comprehensive political solution between Iran, the United States, Israel, and the Gulf states that you often speak about? Qatar continues to coordinate with its regional and international partners in support of the mediation efforts being led by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Our goal is to strengthen security and stability in the region. We hope this mediation succeeds, bringing Washington and Tehran together as soon as possible and leading to a comprehensive agreement that ends tensions and spares the region from any further escalation.
Comprehensive and lasting peace can only be achieved under clear conditions. The first is placing all disputed issues on the negotiating table. The second is to reach solutions agreed upon by all parties to the conflict that meet the demands of the countries of the region.
This is the only path to sustainable security, genuine stability, and new horizons for constructive regional cooperation. How does the suspension of Qatari liquefied gas exports affect the state budget, strategic projects, and Qatar National Vision 2030? Have major development projects been affected by the crisis? The reality is that, as you have seen yourselves, Qatar has gone through many difficult periods, most recently the Covid-19 pandemic. Each time, our economy proved capable of absorbing shocks and dealing with them.
We have clear plans, flexible strategies, and financial reserves sufficient for long periods. This allows us to continue implementing our major projects and Qatar National Vision 2030 without citizens or residents being affected by the repercussions of the current crisis.
Naturally, the coming phase will see measures to enhance and rationalise the efficiency of public spending, alongside a package of policies to empower the private sector and support economic growth.
We will also accelerate the implementation of our economic diversification strategy. This is a fixed national choice for us, and there will be no retreat from it.
Our goal is a permanent ceasefire and a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital
- Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani What is the latest regarding the Board of Peace established by President Trump primarily for Gaza, of which Qatar is a member and to which it pledged $1 billion in support? Do you consider that the first phase of the ceasefire agreement has been fully implemented, and that it is therefore time to move to the second phase concerning Hamas's disarmament and the remaining provisions? In Qatar, and in coordination with our partners, we are working to ensure the implementation of President Trump's ceasefire plan for Gaza . Our goal is to consolidate calm and improve the humanitarian situation in the Strip.
As members of the Board of Peace, we reaffirm our full support for carrying out its mission as a transitional body.
Our aim is to secure a permanent ceasefire, move forward with reconstruction, and push towards a just and lasting peace based on the inalienable right of the brotherly Palestinian people to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Read the original interview in Arabic by The New Arab Arabic edition here .