Qatar PM calls for Gulf-Iran security framework, says war must be ‘wake-up call’

NEW YORK, Sep 21:  Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has called for a regional security framework bringing the Gulf states and Iran together, saying the recent war should serve as a “wake-up call” for the region.

Speaking Sunday at the Qatar Economic Forum on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Al Thani said the recent crisis had challenged existing assumptions about regional security and stability and demonstrated the need for greater cooperation.

“Iran is our neighbor,” Al Thani said. “We need to understand that without having a security framework that brings us all together as Gulf countries with Iran, ensuring that none of us is posing a threat on the other, this region will not just be continuing in the same way as it used to be.”

“We have to act together responsibly as a region and to make sure that we are having good relations with Iran and Iran has good relations with the Gulf countries,” he added.

Al Thani said Qatar and its regional partners were already working toward such an arrangement and expressed hope that the conflict would encourage countries to pursue closer cooperation.

“We are hoping that this war is a wake-up call for everyone that it's time for it to happen,” he said.

The Qatari prime minister also said Doha would continue its mediation efforts, maintain communication channels and work with regional and international partners to reduce tensions and support diplomatic understandings.

On the economic front, Al Thani announced the launch of the Doha Investment Platform, aimed at managing and expanding the Qatar Investment Authority’s domestic portfolio while increasing private-sector participation.

Qatar expects to tender about $38.5 billion in infrastructure projects over the next five years. Real estate and hospitality projects are expected to attract a further $22.5 billion in private investment, putting the combined potential value above $60 billion.

His remarks came as world leaders gathered in New York for the UN General Assembly’s high-level week, with the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran and its wider regional consequences among the major issues facing Gulf countries.