In early March 2026, the Qatari government stepped up security precautions and diplomatic activity following reported missile and drone strikes on its territory. Authorities imposed new safety measures at home – for example, the Council of Ministers Secretariat extended remote work for all civil servants (with the exception of security, military and health personnel) through March 3 and until further notice. The Ministry of Interior confirmed that security forces remained “fully in control” and urged residents to stay indoors and avoid exposed areas, warning that rumor‐mongering is punishable by law and emphasizing reliance on official information. In tandem, government statements noted that Qatar’s defense forces intercepted the attacks and even arrested suspected Iranian Revolutionary Guard cells plotting espionage and sabotage in the country. QatarEnergy meanwhile declared force majeure on liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports after strikes hit its Ras Laffan and Mesaieed facilities, reflecting the serious security impact on the economy.
Cabinet Endorses Policies and Commends Defenses
The weekly Cabinet meeting (Amiri Diwan session) on March 4 praised the armed forces’ swift response to the attacks. Ministers lauded the military and security agencies for their “decisive role” and high readiness in countering the Iranian strikes, and commended the Interior Ministry and other agencies for working “around the clock” to safeguard public safety. The Cabinet reaffirmed Qatar’s strong condemnation of the missile and drone strikes on its territory as a “flagrant violation” of sovereignty, stressing that Qatar reserves the right to respond under international law. It also voiced solidarity with Gulf neighbors (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman) and Jordan that were attacked in similar Iran-related incidents. Separately, earlier council sessions focused on policy issues: on Feb. 25 the Cabinet approved environmental regulations banning certain ozone-depleting and greenhouse-gas substances (advancing Qatar’s sustainability goals) and ratified new bilateral agreements on investment (with Hong Kong), air services (with Mali), and auditing cooperation (with Egypt).
Qatar’s leaders have praised security forces and warned the public to follow official guidelines amid the recent regional escalation.
Diplomatic Outreach and International Engagement
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs intensified international engagement to rally support. On March 5 Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman participated in an emergency Gulf-European ministerial videoconference, where he reiterated Qatar’s condemnation of the Iranian attacks on its territory and underscored the need to de-escalate tensions through dialogue. In New York, Qatar’s UN ambassador sent a formal letter to the UN Secretary-General and Security Council detailing the strikes and calling them a “blatant violation” of Qatar’s sovereignty and “unacceptable escalation” of regional conflict. Qatar has also engaged bilaterally: high-level phone calls were held with leaders from Austria, Brunei, Nepal, Slovenia, Portugal, Uruguay and others. In each discussion, Qatari officials emphasized that the drone and missile strikes on Qatar are indefensible violations of good‐neighborliness, and urged all parties to halt escalatory actions and return to negotiations. Many partners echoed this message – for instance, ministers from Slovenia, Portugal and Uruguay publicly condemned the Iranian attack on Qatar as a breach of international law – and Qatar affirmed its solidarity with Gulf allies also targeted in the conflict.
In parallel, Qatar maintained its broader diplomatic roles. On March 6 Doha hosted a videoconference of the UN-backed ceasefire supervision mechanism for eastern Congo, recalling the Doha-brokered March 2025 Declaration of Principles. In that meeting Qatar called on all parties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to refrain from escalatory steps and to channel any concerns through agreed verification mechanisms. Such multilateral engagement, along with the country’s security measures and public safety directives, underscores Qatar’s two-pronged strategy of firmly protecting its interests at home while seeking international support and peaceful resolutions abroad.
