Qatar is seeking to strengthen its defence partnership with the United States following Iranian air strikes on Qatari territory.
A Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari stated this on Tuesday.
Iran launched missile and drone attacks on its oil-producing Gulf neighbours after U.S. Israeli strikes that killed its top leaders. The conflict disrupted output in the region and sent oil prices surging.
Qatar hosts the biggest U.S. base in the Middle East, Al Udeid Air Base, which was attacked by Iran during the war that erupted on February 28.
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Al Ansari told a media briefing on Tuesday that “the security partnership with the United States was not in question, but added that its deals with the U.S. and European countries need to be strengthened.’
“The partnerships are the main stop-gap and deterrent against any attack on our country.
“When things go out of control and spiral, the result is deterrents do not work… But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have deterrents. You should strengthen these deterrents and that is exactly what are we trying to do right,” Al Ansari said.
U.S. President Donald Trump pledged in October to treat any armed attack on Qatar as a threat to the United States’ own security.
Iran had vowed to retaliate against U.S. targets in the region in case of any attack.
Reuters