Qatar rejects Iran’s ‘misleading’ claims over attacks on its territory

Qatar has rejected Iran’s account of its attacks on the country, accusing Tehran of selectively citing documents to downplay strikes on civilian areas and infrastructure.Qatar has rejected Iran’s claims that its strikes on the Gulf state were directed solely at U.S. military facilities, accusing Tehran of selectively citing Qatari documents to downplay attacks that Doha says hit civilian, commercial and residential areas.The dispute erupted after Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei cited a Qatari security document submitted to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), claiming it confirmed that Iranian strikes against U.S. forces stationed in Qatar had been directed at American military facilities and that “no civilian areas” were targeted.Baqaei acknowledged Qatar’s allegation of an attack on a gas facility on 18 March, but claimed the facility had been serving U.S. military operations against Iran.Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari hit back on Friday, saying that if Iran wished to rely on official documents, it should refer to Qatar’s formal submissions to the United Nations rather than “selectively quoting” from a security risk assessment prepared for operational purposes.Al-Ansari said Qatar’s two identical letters dated 1 March, including UN Security Council document S/2026/110, documented Iranian missiles being launched at civilian, commercial and residential areas, causing damage and injuring 16 people.إذا كان الجانب الإيراني يريد الاستناد إلى الوثائق الرسمية، فإننا ندعوه للعودة إلى السجل الذي قدمته دولة قطر رسمياً إلى الأمم المتحدة، بدلاً من الاقتباس الانتقائي من تقييم للمخاطر الأمنية أُعد لأغراض تشغيلية.فقد وثقت رسالتا دولة قطر المتطابقتان المؤرختان في 1 مارس 2026… pic.twitter.com/piqjYMQg6T— د. ماجد محمد الأنصاري Dr. Majed Al Ansari (@majedalansari) September 4, 2026 The document shared by Al-Ansari states that 83 missiles and 12 drones had been fired at Qatar by the time of the submission, with Qatari air defences intercepting 81 missiles and 11 drones. It also recorded damage to residential and commercial areas and said 16 people had suffered minor injuries.Al-Ansari also pointed to Qatar’s 20 July UN submission, S/2026/591, which he said documented further Iranian attacks that injured three people, including a child.He rejected Baqaei’s reliance on the ITU document, saying it was a safety and security risk assessment prepared for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference rather than a comprehensive record of the attacks or a legal assessment of them.According to Al-Ansari, the same document nevertheless acknowledges direct attacks inside Qatar, including the 18 March strike on gas facilities at Ras Laffan, as well as the temporary closure of Qatari airspace and disruption to civilian life.“Taking a sentence from it out of context is misleading,” Al-Ansari said.The Qatari spokesperson also rejected the Iranian characterisation of the Ras Laffan attack as “alleged”, pointing to Qatar’s UN letter S/2026/207 as an official record of the incident.He stressed that the gas facilities were assets belonging to the Qatari people and an important part of global energy security.Al-Ansari said the success of Qatar’s armed forces in intercepting Iranian missiles and drones did not diminish the seriousness of the attacks or absolve those responsible.He stressed that Qatar was not a party to the conflict and said attacks on its territory and civilian infrastructure, as well as actions destabilising the Strait of Hormuz, could not be justified as “legitimate responses”.“These actions represent a clear violation of international law,” Al-Ansari said, adding that selective quotations or interpretations would not change the nature of the attacks.Al-Ansari reiterated Qatar’s position that dialogue and peaceful means remain the best way to resolve disputes.He said Qatar would continue its diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation and strengthening security and stability in the region.