Qatar says Gulf states must not solely depend on US for security: report

Qatar's foreign ministry says Gulf nations need to become more self-sufficient in protecting their security and cannot rely solely on the US and other international alliances.

A foreign ministry spokesperson said international forces in the region and a strategic alliance with the United States were “very important, but not enough”.

“Self-sufficiency when it comes to security is the only way forward. Yes, we need our partners. Yes, we need our allies. But we cannot depend on them alone for our security,” he was quoted as saying by the Arab News on Monday

The comments come as Qatar, a key mediator in the US-Iran war, faces heavy Iranian attacks, particularly on its energy infrastructure.

Qatar hosts West Asia's largest US military base. Arab News reports that Iran has responded to US attacks by targeting American military sites and energy facilities across the region during the six-month conflict.

The two sides remain at a stalemate, with Iran disrupting shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz while the US maintains a counter-blockade of Iranian ports.

Last month, Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani travelled to Tehran as part of mediation efforts after Iran and Oman said they were discussing a temporary shipping corridor and mine-clearing operations.