Qatar's Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, has issued a stark warning that any military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities would have devastating consequences for the Gulf region, contaminating its waters and threatening life in Qatar, the UAE, and Kuwait, Reuters reported.
The three Gulf nations, which face Iran across the water, have little to no natural freshwater reserves. With a combined population of over 18 million, their primary source of potable water is desalinated seawater from the Gulf.
An attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities would leave the Gulf with "no water, no fish, nothing ... no life," Sheikh Mohammed cautioned, as quoted by Reuters.
Sheikh Mohammed stressed the need for a diplomatic resolution to avoid a regional conflict. "There is no way that Qatar would support any kind of military step ... we will not give up until we see a diplomatic solution," he stated in an interview with US conservative commentator Tucker Carlson.
His comments come as US President Donald Trump has indicated his willingness to negotiate a nuclear agreement with Iran, while also reinstating the "maximum pressure" campaign that aimed to isolate Tehran economically and cut off its oil exports.
On Saturday, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, rejected Trump’s call for negotiations on the country’s nuclear program, saying his country will not be "bullied" into negotiations.
In response, White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes reiterated almost word for word the choice of negotiations or military action that Trump presented to Iran.
"We hope the Iran Regime puts its people and best interests ahead of terror," he said.