Qatar Prime Minister’s blunt message to Iran as he says nation has ‘betrayed us’ however all sides should de-escalate

Qatar‘s Prime Minister has delivered a blunt message to Iran saying the country has ‘betrayed us’.

In a firm rebuke of the neighbour’s military action in the Middle East, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani warned Iran had made a ‘dangerous miscalculation’ but urged all sides to de-escalate.

Though allies with Iran, Qatar’s relationship with the country is being tested amid repeated missile and drone attacks.

One barrage on Thursday lasted around an hour and a half with all projectiles blocked by the country’s air defences.

And Qatar’s PM – who often plays the role of one of the key interlocutors in the region – unleashed a strong criticism of Iran’s actions.

Speaking for the first time since the conflict erupted, he told Sky News: ‘Of course it is a big sense of betrayal. And it’s the second time – that’s why, for us, it has been something really significant.

‘To see the attack which had been pre-planned…once the war started, just an hour after the start of the war, Qatar and other Gulf countries were attacked right away.

‘We’ve repeatedly been saying we are not going to take part in any attacks or wars against our neighbours. We would like to see a peaceful neighbourhood, we are helping Iran and the United States to reach diplomatic solutions.

‘But this miscalculation by the Iranians to attack the Gulf countries has destroyed everything.’

His words were a departure from the neutral approach which has become Qatar’s trademark in recent years, and will ramp up the pressure on Iran.

It comes as the war’s toll on civilian targets grew with Bahrain accusing Iran of striking a desalination plant vital to drinking water supplies.

In a sign of rising regional anger, the Arab League chief lashed out at Iran for its ‘reckless policy’ of attacking neighbours, including ones that host US forces. 

Gulf countries have been struck by hundreds of missiles and drones since the war started on February 28.

Saudi Arabia reported its first deaths, saying a military projectile fell onto a residential area and killed two people.

Qatar’s PM directly addressed the Iranian public – many of whom celebrated the killing of the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last week – as he urged for an end to the conflict.

‘Our message to the Iranian nation: they have to stop the attacks right away, instantly,’ he said. ‘What happened is really a huge hiccup for the relationship we had with Iran.

‘We will continue talking to the Iranians, we will continue trying to seek the de-escalation. At the end of the day, they are our neighbours.

‘My message to them is you shouldn’t include any of the other countries in this war. If these attacks are ongoing, there will be no-one able to help them or to start voicing some reason because everyone is busy engaging and defending their countries.’

The Qatari official also had some positive remarks for Sir Keir Starmer and the British government, which will come as a welcome change from the torrent of criticism from the direction of US President Donald Trump.

A Royal Air Force typhoon last week shot down an Iranian drone which was thought to be headed to Qatar.

It was believed to be the first taken down by a British fighter jet since the conflict started.

Qatar’s PM said: ‘The UK has provided an outstanding support for us and we are very grateful for this partnership and this alliance.’

On Saturday Tehran unleashed a series of furious retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, launching attacks on Qatar, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Israel. 

Nine out of ten drone attacks launched towards Qatar were intercepted, with the tenth striking an uninhabited area, according to its Ministry of Defence. No injuries were sustained in the attacks. 

And on Friday Qatar’s energy minister said the war could result in a new crisis, warning the price of a barrel of oil could surge to more than $150. 

His comments came as the price of crude soared around 7 per cent to more than $90 per barrel having spent most of the year at around $60 to $70.

A rise to $150 would see prices more than double from where they were before the war started. 

Saad al-Kaabi told the Financial Times that such a rise will ‘bring down the economies of the world’.

He added: ‘If this war continues for a few weeks, GDP growth around the world will be impacted. Everybody’s energy price is going to go higher.

‘There will be shortages of some products and there will be a chain reaction of factories that cannot supply.’ 

Mr Kaabi warned that Gulf energy exporters could shut down production, and that in turn would drive the price of oil up.

He told the FT that even if the war does end soon, it is likely to take weeks or months for production cycles to return to normal.