Qatar says Iran missile strike has scarred relations but hopes for recovery

Qatar’s prime minister said on Tuesday that relations with Iran had been damaged by Tehran’s recent missile attack on a U.S. airbase in Qatar, but expressed hope that ties could eventually return to normal.

Qatar’s prime minister said on Tuesday that relations with Iran had been “scarred” after Iran launched missiles at a U.S. airbase in the Gulf state, though he expressed hope that diplomatic ties could be repaired over time.

Iran’s attack on Al Udeid Air Base came in retaliation for U.S. involvement in Israel’s military strikes against Iran. The missiles struck on Monday, but caused no casualties after Iran gave advance warning, and a ceasefire was soon announced by the U.S.

Qatar, which lies across the Gulf from Iran, has frequently played a mediator role in regional conflicts, including between Iran and the U.S., as well as in the ongoing Gaza war between Israel and Hamas.

“What happened will definitely have its scar on the relationship [with Iran], but I hope with time everyone will learn that this kind of neighbourhood relationship should not be violated or undermined,” Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, said during a press conference with Lebanon’s prime minister in Doha.

He also noted that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had expressed regret during a phone call with Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, that Iran’s retaliatory strike had targeted a military base in Qatar.

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