Qatar has declared the military and security attachés at Iran’s embassy in Doha “persona non grata” in a strongly-worded statement following Iranian attacks on the country’s key gas infrastructure.
Iran launched missile strikes against the Ras Laffan plant, the world’s largest gas production facility, in retaliation for a similar attack by Israel on the South Pars gas field, which accounts for around 70% of its domestic gas supply.
US President Trump has claimed that neither Washington nor Doha were made aware of the Israeli operation in advance, but admitted that “unfortunately, Iran did not know this, or any of the pertinent facts pertaining to the South Pars attack”.
In the wake of the bombardment, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered an official note to the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the State, stating that Qatar considers both the military attaché and the security attaché at the embassy, in addition to the staff of the two attaché offices ‘persona non grata’, and requests that they leave the country within a maximum period of (24) hours.
“This came during a meeting held Wednesday between His Excellency Director of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ibrahim Yousif Fakhro, and His Excellency Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the State Ali Salehabadi.
“The ministry explained that this decision comes in response to repeated Iranian targeting and the blatant aggression against the State of Qatar, which violated its sovereignty and security, in a flagrant breach of the principles of international law, United Nations Security Council Resolution No. (2817), and the principles of good neighbourliness.”
It went on: “The ministry stressed that 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 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.”
Trump meanwhile, threatened Iran with further strikes if its aggression towards Qatar continued, saying: “NO MORE ATTACKS WILL BE MADE BY ISRAEL pertaining to this extremely important and valuable South Pars Field unless Iran unwisely decides to attack a very innocent, in this case, Qatar.
"In which instance, the United States of America, with or without the help or consent of Israel, will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before.
"I do not want to authorise this level of violence and destruction because of the long-term implications that it will have on the future of Iran, but if Qatar’s LNG is again attacked, I will not hesitate to do so.”
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