Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani has warned that a military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities would pose a severe environmental and humanitarian threat to the Gulf region, potentially contaminating the waters that sustain Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Kuwait.
In an interview with political commentator Tucker Carlson on Friday, Sheikh Mohammed emphasized that an attack on Iran’s nuclear sites could leave the Gulf with “no water, no fish, nothing … no life.”
Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, in an interview with US journalist Tucker Carlson, said that if Iran’s nuclear facilities are attacked, the Persian Gulf Arab countries will run out of water within three days due to water contamination. pic.twitter.com/sNzHsyI3mZ
— PressTV Extra (@PresstvExtra) March 8, 2025
The three desert nations have minimal natural water reserves and rely heavily on desalination plants drawing water from the Persian Gulf.
Sheikh Mohammed stated that such an attack could cause these facilities to fail, potentially depleting the region’s drinking water supply within three days.
Qatar’s warning comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran. President Donald Trump told Fox News on Friday that he had warned Tehran in a letter that it could face military action unless it agreed to engage in talks for a nuclear deal.
“I said, I hope you’re going to negotiate, because it’s going to be a lot better for Iran,” Trump was quoted as saying. “There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal,” he stated. “I would prefer to make a deal, because I’m not looking to hurt Iran.”
Qatar’s prime minister stressed his government’s commitment to a diplomatic solution, rejecting any military intervention. “There is no way that Qatar would support any kind of military step … we will not give up until we see a diplomatic solution,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday said that Iran would not negotiate with “bullying governments” demanding talks in what appears to be a response to Trump’s letter urging negotiations.
The U.N.’s nuclear monitor has reported that Iran’s regime has made significant progress in advancing its nuclear program in recent years. However, Iran has denied this and maintained that its nuclear program has peaceful aims.
Iranian military forces are currently conducting large-scale drills to enhance their preparedness against potential threats. These exercises, which began in January and are scheduled to continue nationwide until mid-March, are being presented by Tehran as a response to growing security challenges, according to Iranian state media.
