According to a report by Reuters on September 7, Majid Ansari, a spokesman for the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at the Hilal Forum held in Abu Dhabi on September 7 that Gulf countries cannot rely solely on the United States and other international alliances to ensure their own security. Instead, they must strengthen their capabilities to be self-reliant. Previously, Qatar suffered significant losses during the US-Iran conflict.
He pointed out at a forum in the capital of the UAE: 'We must recognize that in the Gulf region, having international military forces and maintaining strategic alliances with the United States is certainly important, but these alone are not enough.'
He added, “Achieving self-sufficiency in security matters is the only way out. We need partners and allies, but we cannot rely entirely on others for our own safety.”
Qatar, a wealthy country with abundant natural gas resources, has a small territory but hosts the largest military base of the United States in the Middle East. During wars, Iran attacks American military facilities and energy facilities in the region as a response to American attacks.
After six months of conflict, both sides have reached a deadlock: Iran controls shipping in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, while the United States has implemented anti-blockade measures against Iranian ports.
Last month, Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani visited Tehran to participate in mediation efforts.
Qatar's recent statement was made against the backdrop of escalating tensions between Iran and the United States that have significantly damaged the country.
Since the Gulf of Hormuz was closed due to military conflict in February 2026, Qatar's liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports have been almost completely halted. Reuters reported on July 8 that only 16 batches of Qatar LNG cargo ships managed to leave the Strait, and several LNG transport ships controlled by Qatar's energy companies had to return midway due to the risk of attacks.
In addition to the transportation disruptions, Qatar’s core Ras Laffan natural gas production facility was also attacked by Iranian missiles. According to the British “Financial Times,” this attack damaged about 17% of Qatar’s liquefied natural gas production capacity. It will take at least five years to restore the facilities, resulting in an annual loss of approximately $20 billion.
Regarding this, the International Monetary Fund predicts that Qatar's economy will shrink by 8.6% this year. The Capital Economics is even more pessimistic, predicting that GDP could decline by as much as 13%, and Qatar could become the country most affected in the Gulf region.
