Doha, August 18 (QNA) - Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari confirmed Tuesday that the invitation remains open to Iran to send a technical team to review all the details of the search and rescue operations related to its pilots, noting that this invitation had previously been officially extended to Tehran, but it did not respond.
During the weekly press briefing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Al Ansari said that the State of Qatar was surprised by Iranian media statements which he described as "completely baseless" and containing illogical claims, stressing that Doha had taken all the required measures in accordance with its international and humanitarian obligations.
He indicated that the Iranian aircraft that were dealt with had entered Qatari airspace and targeted the city of Doha, and were dealt with according to the known rules of engagement after confirming that they had violated Qatari airspace. He noted that contact was made with the pilots, but there was no response, which necessitated taking the necessary measures, while the search and rescue teams immediately began their tasks in accordance with the relevant international obligations.
He emphasized that the Qatari search and rescue teams performed their role to the fullest extent, as they were able to find the remains of one of the pilots and inform the Iranian side of this, before concluding the search operations after finding the remains of the body. He noted that the body was handed over to the Iranian authorities who held a funeral for him.
He noted that Qatar received the Iranian delegation and offered them information on the details of the search and rescue operations, but the Iranian side did not respond to the invitation. He stressed that the State of Qatar is not concerned with what he described as attempts at internal media consumption, and that its stance is firm in protecting its sovereignty and confronting any similar aggression in the future.
Regarding bilateral relations with Iran, the Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that the State of Qatar has faced violations of its sovereignty and has protected its security and the security of residents on its territory, while emphasizing the importance of respecting the sovereignty of states and coexistence based on mutual respect. He noted that geography dictates that the countries of the region continue to live together and maintain relations based on respect for sovereignty.
Regarding efforts to reduce escalation in the region, Al Ansari indicated that the current focus is on containing the present crisis and returning to the diplomatic track. He pointed out that the current developments included the violation of the ceasefire and the developments in the Strait of Hormuz, which necessitates working to return to what was stipulated in the memorandum of understanding and resuming negotiations.
In this context, he affirmed the continuation of diplomatic efforts, expressing the State of Qatar's aspiration to reach an agreement between the Sultanate of Oman and Iran regarding the Strait, which would create the conditions for a return to negotiations. He stressed that a ceasefire, guaranteeing freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and a return to the negotiating table represent the only way forward.
He also pointed out that the mediation efforts in which the State of Qatar participated with its partners had previously led to a ceasefire, but this ceasefire was violated. He emphasized that the current priority is to stop the escalation and bring the parties back to the negotiating table, whether to implement previous understandings or to reach a new agreement.
Regarding the negotiations between the Sultanate of Oman and Iran, Al Ansari said that there are no new developments at the moment, and that efforts are still underway to reach an agreement between the two parties that would lead to the resumption of negotiations and avoid further escalation in the region.
Regarding Gulf coordination on reducing tensions, he affirmed the existence of ongoing coordination among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries at the levels of leaders, foreign ministers, and security and defense officials, to ensure readiness to deal with any potential repercussions, noting that Gulf diplomatic mechanisms are working collectively in this direction. (QNA)