The Emir of Qatar reveals 3 major responsibilities of Doha and 4 factors that contributed to fulfilling them in the Iran war

(CNN) - The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, confirmed that Doha had 3 main responsibilities in the Iran war and followed a strategy built on 4 factors to fulfill them. He also indicated that his country does not aspire to return to what it was before the war, but rather to make economic recovery “a starting point for accelerating economic diversification and strengthening national capabilities,” according to a speech he gave on Tuesday.

The Emir of Qatar said in his speech at the opening of the second regular session of the second legislative term, corresponding to the 55th annual session of the Shura Council: “In this crisis, Qatar has assumed three responsibilities at the same time: protecting its sovereignty, fulfilling its role in energy security and the global economy, and keeping the doors of diplomacy open.”

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani added: “Our strategy for carrying these responsibilities consisted of four basic elements: First, defending the homeland firmly without being drawn into war. Second, preserving services, supply chains, and the economic life cycle. Third, contributing to the efforts being made to achieve a ceasefire and opening waterways. Fourth, urging negotiations and looking for opportunities to return to negotiations to reach peaceful solutions to the conflict.”

The Emir of Qatar said: “Qatar secures about a fifth of the world’s liquefied natural gas trade, and what affects it quickly affects markets and consumers everywhere. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the direct damage caused to some energy facilities in Ras Laffan Industrial City led to the disruption of an important part of the country’s exports.”

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad continued: “The national economy faced this crisis from a strong base. In 2025, it achieved real growth of 2.9%, with the inflation rate stabilizing at half a percent on average annually and achieving a current account surplus... and the country maintained its high sovereign credit ratings.”

He added: "It is natural for the crisis to have a negative impact on public finances, as total revenues decreased during the first half of the year by 42%, while public expenditures decreased by 14%, without affecting basic services or development priorities."

The Emir of Qatar said: “The state’s policies before the crisis, which included enhancing reserves, reducing public debt, preparing the budget at conservative oil prices, and developing non-oil revenues, have enabled it to absorb the repercussions of this crisis until now.”

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad added: “Our goal is not to return to what we were before the crisis, but rather to make recovery a starting point for accelerating economic diversification and strengthening national capabilities.”