Geneva: The State of Qatar has strongly condemned Iranian missile attacks on its territory as a blatant violation of its national sovereignty and a breach of international law and the United Nations Charter, threatening regional stability.
The comments were made on Tuesday by Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Delegation of the State of Qatar to the UN Office in Geneva Jawhara bint Abdulaziz Al Suwaidi, during a meeting of the Conference on Disarmament.
Al Suwaidi said that targeting Qatari territory violates the principles of good neighborliness and cannot be justified under any pretext. She stressed that Qatar has always sought to distance itself from regional conflicts and had worked to facilitate dialogue between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the international community.
She added that peaceful means represent the best way to address differences and resolve disputes.
Al Suwaidi noted that the attacks targeted civilian interests and facilities, exposing citizens and residents to direct risks, in a grave violation of international law.
She affirmed that the State of Qatar reserves its full right to respond to this targeting, in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations and in a manner proportionate to the nature of the aggression, in defense of its sovereignty and to safeguard its security and national interests.
Al Suwaidi expressed the State of Qatar’s deep concern regarding the recent developments in the region, including the Israeli and the US airstrikes targeting the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Iranian attacks targeting Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and several other countries in the region.
She warned that the escalation risks widening the conflict and further destabilizing the region, with grave humanitarian, economic, and security repercussions.
She also expressed Qatar's strong condemnation of the violation of the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Sultanate of Oman, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and the Republic of Iraq, affirming its full solidarity with these nations.
Al Suwaidi emphasized that Iran's continued opening of new fronts and escalation with neighboring countries was a highly dangerous development, adding that sustainable regional security can only be attained through dialogue and diplomacy.
She stressed the necessity of protecting civilians, diplomatic missions, vital infrastructure, energy facilities, and maritime navigation routes, in accordance with the rules of international law.
Al Suwaidi reiterated the State of Qatar's call for an immediate cessation to military actions that undermine regional stability, urging de-escalation and a return to negotiations to prevent the crisis from widening.
