Gulf countries cannot rely solely on the United States or other international alliances for their security, and must become more self-reliant, a spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry has said.
He made the remarks Monday while speaking at the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the presence of international forces in the Gulf region and the strategic alliance with the United States are extremely important. However, he said, these alone are not enough for security.
He said self-reliance in security is the only way forward. Partners and allies are needed, he said, but it is not possible to rely on them alone for one’s own security.
Qatar has been an important mediator in the U.S.-Iran war and has also been the target of extensive Iranian attacks, particularly on its energy infrastructure.
Qatar hosts the United States’ largest base in the Middle East. During the war, Iran responded to U.S. attacks by striking American military bases and energy facilities in the region.
After six months of conflict, the two adversaries remain in a stalemate, with Iran disrupting shipping in the strategic Strait of Hormuz and the United States imposing a counter-blockade on Iran’s ports.
Last month, Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, visited Tehran as part of mediation efforts. Earlier, Iran and Oman, the two countries on either side of the Strait of Hormuz, had reportedly been discussing opening a temporary shipping lane and clearing mines from the sea.