Qatar strsses need for Gulf unity, says alliances with US alone cannot guarantee security

ABU DHABI — The Gulf states cannot rely solely on the United States or other international alliances for their security and need to do more to be self-sufficient, a Qatari official said in Abu Dhabi on Monday.Speaking at the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi, Qatari Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari stressed the importance of Gulf unity amid threats such as the conflict in Iran. He described the current circumstances as a “pivotal moment” for the region. While praising the Gulf nations for successfully “absorbing” what he labeled as Iran’s aggression, he said the strategic alliances with the United States are no longer sufficient to guarantee their security.“We need to realize in the Gulf that having international forces in the region, having a strategic alliance with the United States, is very important, but is not enough,” he told the Hili Forum in the UAE capital.“Self-sufficiency when it comes to security is the only way forward. Yes, we need our partners. Yes, we need our allies. But we cannot depend on them alone for our security,” he added.Qatar is a key mediator in the US-Iran war and has also sustained heavy Iranian attacks, especially on its energy infrastructure.Qatar hosts the biggest US base in the Middle East. Throughout the war, Iran has responded to US attacks by attacking American military sites and the region’s energy facilities.After six months of conflict, the foes are at a stalemate, with Iran disrupting traffic in the strategic Strait of Hormuz and the US pressing a counter-blockade of Iranian ports.Last month, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani traveled to Tehran as part of the mediation efforts.