Qatar Warns Against Relying Solely on the US for Gulf Security
Gulf nations cannot depend entirely on the United States and other international alliances for their security and must strengthen their own self-sufficiency, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman said in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
“We need to realise in the Gulf that having international forces in the region, having a strategic alliance with the United States, is very important, but is not enough,” he told attendees at the Hili Forum in the UAE capital. “Self-sufficiency when it comes to security is the only way forward. Yes, we need our partners. Yes, we need our allies. But we cannot depend on them alone for our security,” he added.
Qatar has played a key mediating role in the ongoing US-Iran conflict while also enduring heavy Iranian attacks, particularly against its energy infrastructure. The country hosts the largest US military base in the Middle East, and throughout the war, Iran has responded to US strikes by targeting American military sites and regional energy facilities.
After six months of conflict, both sides remain locked in a stalemate, with Iran continuing to disrupt shipping traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz while the US maintains a counter-blockade of Iranian ports. Last month, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani traveled to Tehran as part of ongoing mediation efforts, following reports that Iran and Oman — both bordering the critical strait — were discussing a temporary shipping corridor along with a mine-clearing initiative.
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