CAIRO, Egypt: Qatar warned on Tuesday that the region is very close to an escalation that “cannot be controlled”, hours ahead of United States (US) President Donald Trump’s deadline for Iran to make a deal, reported German Press Agency (dpa).
“We have been warning since 2023 that escalation left unchecked will get us into a situation where it cannot be controlled and we are very close to that point,” Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed al-Ansari, said.
“This is why we have been urging all parties to find a resolution, find a way to end this war before it spirals out of control.”
Trump’s ultimatum for Iran to make a deal or face massive attacks on its energy facilities and other civilian infrastructure is set to expire on Tuesday evening (0000 GMT Wednesday).
“The continuation of this war in this way will only mean more costs for the people in the region, for international peace and security, for the international economy, for international energy markets,” al-Ansari told reporters in the capital Doha.
Qatar and other US allies in the Gulf region have been under constant attack from Tehran since the US and Israel launched the war against Iran on February 28.
The Gulf countries have maintained that they are not part of the war and are focusing on defending their territory and sovereignty.
Al-Ansari said his country has been engaging with the Trump administration since before it took office as part of the mediation process between Hamas and Israel.
“We have daily communication with our interlocutors in the US, and we are working very closely with them especially when it comes to the defence of our country,” he added. – BERNAMA-dpa
