Qatar declares Iranian attaches ‘persona non grata’ after missile strike ‘considerably damages’ Ras Laffan | World Information
Qatar has reported “vital injury” after Iranian missile strikes hit the Ras Laffan industrial metropolis, the nation’s major fuel hub. In an announcement issued Wednesday, Qatar Ministry of International Affairs strongly condemned what it referred to as a blatant Iranian assault on Ras Laffan Industrial Metropolis, saying the assault sparked fires that severely affected the ability. Qatar additionally expelled all Iranian attaches on the embassies.
The ministry additionally denounced Iranian strikes on power websites in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, describing the incidents as grave breaches of worldwide regulation and a severe danger to international power stability.
Calling the actions “brutal aggressions”, Doha mentioned Tehran had crossed “all crimson traces” and pressured the pressing want for de-escalation to revive regional and worldwide safety.
Earlier, a missile believed to have been launched by Iran struck the Ras Laffan website. Qatar Ministry of Inside mentioned a ensuing fireplace was largely contained and no harm was recorded. State power big QatarEnergy confirmed all workers have been accounted for and there have been no casualties.
Assertion | Qatar Condemns in Strongest Phrases Iranian Concentrating on of Vitality Services in Saudi Arabia and UAE
Doha | March 19, 2026
The State of Qatar condemns within the strongest phrases the Iranian concentrating on of power amenities within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab… pic.twitter.com/EoBckLPGZV
— Ministry of International Affairs – Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) March 19, 2026
Qatar has additionally declared all Iranian Embassy army and safety attaches “persona non grata”. “The Qatar Ministry of International Affairs delivered an official word to the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran , stating that Qatar considers each the army attache and the safety attache on the embassy, along with the workers of the 2 attache places of work “persona non grata” and requests that they go away the nation inside a most interval of 24 hours.
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Iranian threats throughout
The developments adopted Iranian threats to focus on oil and fuel infrastructure throughout the Gulf in retaliation for an Israeli strike on its South Pars gasfield, as tensions linked to the broader US-Israeli battle with Tehran intensified.
Tehran’s warnings named a number of regional websites, together with Qatar’s Mesaieed Petrochemical Complicated, Mesaieed Holding Firm and Ras Laffan Refinery; Saudi amenities such because the SAMREF Refinery and Jubail Petrochemical Complicated; and the UAE’s Al Hosn gasfield.
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Qatar escalated its diplomatic response by declaring army and safety attaches on the Iranian embassy persona non grata and ordering them to go away inside 24 hours, citing repeated assaults. Doha referred to as the strike a harmful escalation, a violation of sovereignty and a direct risk to nationwide safety, accusing Iran of dragging uninvolved states deeper into the disaster.
Macron speaks to emir
Worldwide reactions adopted swiftly. Emmanuel Macron mentioned he spoke with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and US President Donald Trump after the incident. Macron urged a right away halt to assaults on civilian infrastructure, particularly power and water amenities, stressing the necessity to protect important provides from army escalation.
I’ve simply spoken with the Emir of Qatar and President Trump following the strikes that hit fuel manufacturing amenities in Iran and Qatar at the moment.
It’s in our widespread curiosity to implement, directly, a moratorium on strikes concentrating on civilian infrastructure,…
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 18, 2026
On March 2, Qatar had already suspended LNG manufacturing after earlier strikes on Ras Laffan and a water tank at an influence plant in Mesaieed. The Ras Laffan complicated, about 80km from Doha, is the world’s largest LNG manufacturing website, supplying roughly a fifth of world demand and enjoying a essential position in Asian and European power markets.
Reporting from Al Jazeera, journalist Victoria Gatenby mentioned safety alerts had been raised in Doha. Analyst Rachel Ziemba of the Middle for a New American Safety famous that the sooner manufacturing halt might cushion speedy international provide shocks however warned of pressure on regional energy methods and extended worth stress.
Babak Hafezi of American College mentioned larger LNG costs would weigh closely on Europe, which turned to LNG imports after the Ukraine battle and the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines. He added that main importers corresponding to Japan, Turkiye and India would additionally really feel the affect, with smaller growing economies hit hardest.
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The strike got here as Riyadh ready to host talks amongst Arab and Muslim-majority overseas ministers. Gatenby mentioned discussions would now centre on the Iranian risk and managing the fallout.
🔥Allah is the best🔥
In response to U.S.-Israeli assaults on the Assaluyeh refinery in Bushehr, Iran focused the Ras Laffan refinery in Qatar, which had American investments. pic.twitter.com/qjrTrCHf8O
— Iran Army Media (@IRMilitaryMedia) March 18, 2026
Saudi authorities mentioned air defenses intercepted 4 ballistic missiles headed for Riyadh and two concentrating on the jap area, in response to the Saudi Ministry of Defence. Alerts have been additionally issued for Riyadh and Al-Kharj by way of the Nationwide Early Warning Platform for Emergency Circumstances.
The UAE Ministry of Defence mentioned its forces intercepted 13 ballistic missiles and 27 drones launched from Iran. Operations have been suspended on the Habshan fuel facility after particles incidents, authorities in Abu Dhabi mentioned. The Bab oilfield was additionally focused, with no accidents reported.
Because the assaults started, the UAE defence ministry mentioned it has handled 327 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,699 drones.
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