Qatar has sent a letter to United Nations’ Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, who is also President of the Security Council for June, requesting that it be circulated among Security Council members and issued as an official document.

In the letter, addressed by Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the UN HE Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani, Qatar informed members of the Security Council and the Secretary-General of an extremely dangerous escalation that represents a blatant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar, posing a direct threat to regional peace and security.

The letter noted that on Monday evening, Qatar was subjected to a missile attack by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps targeting Al Udeid Air Base, which was successfully intercepted by Qatari air defenses.

Qatar expressed its strong condemnation of the missile attack targeting the base, considering it a flagrant violation of its sovereignty and airspace, as well as of international law and the United Nations Charter. Qatar stressed that it reserves the right to respond directly in a manner proportionate to the nature and scale of this blatant attack, and in accordance with the Charter and international law.

Qatar stressed that the continuation of such escalating military actions would undermine security and stability in the region, and drag it into situations that would have disastrous repercussions for international peace and security. It called for an immediate cessation of all military actions and a serious return to the negotiating table and dialogue.

It further noted that it was among the first countries to warn of the consequences of Israeli escalation in the region, calling for a priority of diplomatic solutions, adhering to the principles of good neighbourliness and non-escalation, and affirming that dialogue is the only way to overcome current crises and preserve the security of the region and the safety of its people.

Finally, Qatar urged the need for the Security Council to fulfil its responsibilities under the United Nations Charter, affirming the need for the Council to take urgent measures to impose an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire throughout the Middle East to prevent the region from sliding into further dangerous escalation.