Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari has said his country did not choose to retaliate to Iran’s strikes on US bases in Qatar as there was a “chance for peace”, AFP reports.

There were no casualties on Monday when Iran targeted Al Udeid, the Middle East’s biggest US base and headquarters of its regional command.

Ansari said that as leaders were weighing their response to the attack, a call came from the US president to Qatar’s emir, saying “there is a possibility for regional stability … and that Israel has agreed to a ceasefire”.

“Qatar could have taken the decision to escalate,” Ansari said. “But because there was a chance for peace… we opted for that,” he said.