Doha: President Masould Pezeshkian has condemned the Israeli attack on Qatar as a blatant act of terrorism and a violation of all international norms, warning that no country in the region will be immune unless they unite to confront the occupying regime. The Iranian president was addressing an emergency meeting of Arab and Islamic countries in Doha in response to an Israeli airstrike on Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital last week.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Pezeshkian stated that the Israeli attack targeting the Hamas leadership was carried out with the intent to sabotage efforts to end the genocidal war in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of at least 64,900 Palestinians since October 2023. ‘This attack on diplomacy is more than a crime; it is a brazen and practical declaration that military power now prevails over law,’ he said.

Qatar has been a mediator in negotiations between Hamas and Israel. A senior Hamas negotiating team was discussing the latest US proposal for a ceasefire when Israeli warplanes struck their office on September 9. The Iranian president remarked that Israel will continue its acts of aggression because of the backing it receives from the West. ‘History will remember the crime of supporters of this aggression,’ he added.

Pezeshkian emphasized the need for regional unity, stating, ‘The Zionist regime has acted against our sovereignty and integrity, and we must stand up to it.’ He also mentioned the boldness of the Israeli government, which he attributed to a perceived impunity following previous incidents. ‘Unfortunately, the terrorists ruling Tel Aviv have grown more emboldened by the impunity they felt after a similar betrayal of diplomacy and the launch of an aggressive war against the people of my country,’ he said.

The Iranian president was referencing a surprise Israeli attack on Iran that led to 12 days of war in June. The Iranian Armed Forces retaliated with ballistic missile strikes, which eventually led to the acceptance of a US-proposed ceasefire by the Israeli regime. Pezeshkian further highlighted ongoing aggression, stating, ‘In 2025, the Zionist regime has bombed several Muslim countries. Each of its attacks and acts of aggression is framed as ‘legitimate self-defense’, each time accompanied by Western double-speak and hollow condemnations.’