Qatar has declared the military and security attachรฉ at the Iranian Embassy, along with their staff, as “persona non grata” and asked them to leave the country within 24 hours, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Thursday. This came shortly after Iran launched a missile attack at Qatar’s main gas facility– Ras Laffan Industrial City–on its north coast.ย ย ย ย
Decisionย in response to Iran’s blatant aggression
The ministry said that the decision was made “in response to repeated Iranian targeting and the blatant aggression against the State of Qatar, which violated its sovereignty and security.”
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that it had delivered an official note to the Iranian Embassy in Doha informing it that the military attachรฉ and the security attachรฉ, along with staff working in their offices, must leave the country.
“The continuation of this hostile approach by the Iranian side will be met with additional measures by the State of Qatar, in a manner that ensures the protection of its sovereignty, security, and national interests,” the ministry said.
It also affirmed that “the State of Qatar reserves the right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and security, in accordance with the provisions of international law.”
Iranian missiles hit Ras Laffan Industrial City
Key energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf came under attack on Wednesday night (local time), with fires reported at a major facility in Qatar. Qatar’s state-run energy company said that fires set by Iranian strikes on its main gas facility had caused “extensive damage”.
The company added that emergency teams were immediately deployed to control the fires and that all personnel were safe, with no casualties reported.
“QatarEnergy confirms that Ras Laffan Industrial City this evening has been the subject of missile attacks. Emergency response teams were deployed immediately to contain the resulting fires, as extensive damage has been caused. All personnel have been accounted for, and no casualties have been reported at this time,” QatarEnergy wrote on X.
Qatar said Iranian attacks on its main gas facility situated on its north coast were a “direct threat to its national security”. “Qatar expresses its strong condemnation and denunciation of the brutal Iranian attack targeting Ras Laffan Industrial City… Qatar considers this assault a dangerous escalation, a flagrant violation of its sovereignty, and a direct threat to its national security,” the Gulf state’s foreign ministry said in a statement.ย
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