Qatar warns Iran will face consequences as Gulf States condemn strikes

“We stand united in defending our citizens, our sovereignty, and our territories,” the statement said.

By World Israel News Staff

Iran must face consequences for its recent missile and drone attacks across the Middle East, a spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry told CNN, warning that the strikes cannot go unanswered.

“Iran must pay a price for this blatant attack against our people. It cannot pass without a response,” the spokesperson said, in one of the strongest public reactions yet from a Gulf state following the wave of Iranian strikes across the region.

The remarks came as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States released a joint statement sharply condemning what they described as Iran’s indiscriminate and reckless attacks against sovereign territory throughout the Middle East.

In the declaration, the countries said they “strongly condemn the indiscriminate and reckless Iranian missile and drone attacks against sovereign territories across the region,” naming Bahrain, Iraq including the Kurdistan Region, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates among the areas affected.

The statement emphasized that the strikes constituted unjustified attacks against sovereign lands, warning that they endangered civilians and damaged civilian infrastructure.

The signatories described Iran’s actions as “a dangerous escalation that violates the sovereignty of multiple states and threatens regional stability,” adding that attacks against civilians and countries not directly involved in hostilities were reckless and destabilizing.

The participating countries also stressed a unified defensive posture, declaring that they stand together in protecting their citizens, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The statement highlighted cooperation in air and missile defense efforts, noting that coordinated defensive measures helped prevent far greater casualties and destruction during the attacks.

“We stand united in defending our citizens, our sovereignty, and our territories,” the statement said, reaffirming commitment to regional security cooperation and collective defensive coordination.

Iran, however, rejected accusations that it deliberately targeted neighboring states. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran’s operations were aimed at U.S. military assets stationed in the region rather than Gulf countries themselves.

“We are not attacking our neighbors in the Persian Gulf,” Araghchi said. “We are targeting the presence of the United States in these countries. Neighbors should direct their grievances to the decision-makers of this war.”

Araghchi insisted Iran maintains friendly relations with regional governments and described the strikes as defensive measures carried out in response to U.S. and Israeli military actions, arguing that American bases located in Gulf states had become legitimate targets in the conflict.

The unusually broad coalition behind the joint condemnation, combining Gulf Arab states with Washington, reflects growing regional concern over the widening conflict and the risk that attacks across multiple countries could further destabilize the Middle East.

Officials warned that continued strikes risk expanding the confrontation beyond its current boundaries as regional governments increasingly coordinate diplomatic and defensive responses to escalating tensions.