Military action against Iran would only increase instability across the region, Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman warned at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Amid threats from the US President Donald Trump against the Iranian regime following large numbers of deaths among protesters, Sheikh Mohammed drew comparisons with Iraq when highlighting the risks of external military intervention.
He said that Qatar always believed that there was “room for diplomacy” and that “escalation will have consequences”.
“This has been tried in Iraq 20 years ago and it hasn’t worked … we don’t want to see military escalation in our region,” he said. “What’s worrying me is the growing tension that’s happening within this region, whether it’s the Gaza war or what’s happening with Iran. Any other front in the region can explode if we don’t address it.”
In a discussion with Borge Brende, the World Economic Forum’s president and chief executive, Sheikh Mohammed called for a new “regional security architecture” in the Middle East so that countries did not feel threatened by one another.
“A lot of things happened last year that have been more positive than negative,” he said. “In Syria we have a [new] president [Ahmad Al Shara], Lebanon we have a new government. The war in Gaza has almost stopped, but we’re still, unfortunately, seeing the killing continue.
“We’re in a better place, but it doesn’t mean the region is moving towards stabilisation. Until now there’s a lot of uncertainty.”
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He said that the US-led Board of Peace represented “a path” to help Gaza achieve stability as the ceasefire continues, although he highlighted concerns about the continued deaths of Palestinians.
“The first stage of the deal being implemented doesn’t mean the deal has been done,” said Sheikh Mohammed, who is also Qatar’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. “All the countries joining the Board of Peace have to work hard and ensure the Board of Peace is a stabilising factor.
“We are happy to be a contributor to peace and stability in our region now. There are a lot of challenges but we have no alternative paths right now. The important thing is to ensure that Gaza is stable and the withdrawal of the Israeli forces and that people can get their lives back.”
He also said that Yemen should not be allowed to break up and indicated that both there and in Syria, efforts should be made to ensure diverse participation in government.
