Iran says missile strikes targeted US interests, Qatar rejects assertion

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told his Qatari counterpart that recent Iranian missile strikes were aimed at United States interests and not at Qatar, according to official accounts of their conversation.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told his Qatari counterpart that recent Iranian missile strikes were aimed at United States interests and not at Qatar, according to official accounts of their conversation.

During a call with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Araqchi reportedly clarified that Tehran’s actions were directed specifically at American targets in the region.

However, Doha firmly rejected the claim. In a statement posted by Qatar’s Foreign Ministry on social media, Sheikh Mohammed “categorically rejected” Iran’s assertion and called for an immediate halt to the attacks.

The Qatari premier stressed that Qatar reserves the right to self-defence against any aggression. He also reiterated that Doha has consistently supported dialogue and diplomatic engagement conducted in good faith.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Tehran had “no choice” but to launch attacks after what he described as joint actions by the United States and Israel, while Qatar warned that Iranian strikes show an intent to harm neighbouring states and risk dragging the region into a wider war.

In a message addressed to Gulf countries, President Pezeshkian said Iran respected the sovereignty of its neighbours and had tried to avoid conflict through diplomatic efforts. However, he said continued attacks by the US and Israel forced Tehran to respond.

“We respect your sovereignty,” Pezeshkian wrote in posts shared in Arabic and Persian on social media platform X. He added that Iran believes security in the Middle East should be achieved through collective efforts among regional countries rather than outside intervention.