Missile and drone attacks on Qatar have eased in recent days with no alerts issued, but officials say the country remains vigilant and reserves the right to respond, as indirect talks continue in the region.
Qatar is not directly taking part in mediation efforts, foreign ministry spokesman Dr Majed Al-Ansari said on Tuesday, as missile and drone attacks on the country ease after several days of strikes.
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“We are not involved in these talks,” he told reporters in Doha when asked about mediation efforts between the parties in the Iran war.
“We stand ready to help of course, if there is any role for Qatar, but right now our concern is in supporting these efforts and stopping the attacks on our country," Al-Ansari said.
Meanwhile, no alerts were issued in Qatar in recent days over incoming missiles or drones from Iran, according to authorities, who asked for continued vigilance.
“We have not registered any attacks that warranted issuing any alerts in the last couple of days, which obviously is a positive thing,” Al-Ansari said.
“But that doesn't mean that we have the luxury of not being vigilant anymore. We remain vigilant,” he added, saying the country still faces risks despite the recent calm. “We are still in the eye of the storm,” he said.
Energy sector impact and escalation risks
Al-Ansari warned that attacks on energy infrastructure have had serious consequences for Qatar and the wider region.
“We've condemned any attack on energy infrastructure in the region as a very dangerous precedent,” he said. “We don't believe that there is any justification for attacking civilian infrastructure.”
“These civilian infrastructures, wherever they are, are the wealth of the people,” he added. “They should always be protected from any attack.”
Qatar also said it reserves the right to respond to attacks, while stressing that no decision has been taken.
“We reserve the right to take the appropriate action to respond to any such attacks on our vital infrastructure,” Al-Ansari said. “That said, I'm not willing right now to commit to any kind of retaliation.”
He added that officials remain confident in the country’s preparedness. “We are confident in our security apparatus right now and our response to the crisis,” he said.
Al-Ansari also stressed that countries in the region will continue to coexist.
“Iran has been here for millennia. The people in this region have been here for millennia. Nobody's going anywhere,” he said.
“Total annihilation is not an option. We will live next to each other and we have to find ways of living next to one another.”