Qatar’s foreign ministry “strongly condemns” an Iranian attack on an Emirati oil tanker, deeming it “a flagrant violation of the rules of international law and freedom of maritime navigation”.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs renews the State of Qatar’s categorical rejection of using the Strait of Hormuz as a bargaining chip, and its call to reopen it without conditions, and its affirmation that freedom of navigation in this vital passage is a firmly established principle that admits no compromise, and that the continued closure of the strait exposes the vital interests of the region’s countries to danger,” a statement reads.

Doha has emphasised the need for Iran to stop attacking Gulf nations, while also expressing solidarity with the United Arab Emirates.