Qatar backs Mecca Alliance but says joining would be premature

Qatar said it supports the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, as well as initiatives aimed at strengthening regional stability. Doha said it was still too early to discuss joining the alliance.

Scraper SystemOctober 07, 2026, 10:36 AM

Qatar backs Mecca Alliance but says joining would be premature

Qatar said it supports efforts to strengthen regional stability through the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement. Ibrahim bin Sultan al-Hashimi, director of media and communications at Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a weekly press briefing in Doha that the agreement signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan strengthened regional cooperation aimed at protecting the capacity and stability of countries in the region.

Al-Hashimi said Qatar supports the Mecca Alliance, along with initiatives in the field of regional security. In response to a question about whether Qatar would join the alliance, he said it was still too early to do so.

Priority given to navigation in the Strait of Hormuz

Qatar's agenda for reducing regional tensions also includes restoring freedom of maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Al-Hashimi said his country supports initiatives aimed at protecting its security and sovereignty, as well as the territorial integrity of countries in the region.

Al-Hashimi said talks and exchanges of messages between the United States and Iran were continuing through the efforts of Qatar and other mediators, adding that the parties' concerns were being taken into account. He noted that contacts and visits that would lay the groundwork for progress between Washington and Tehran were continuing.

Al-Hashimi said communication with Iranian delegations was continuing, adding that the contacts aimed to preserve open channels of communication and lay the groundwork for regional security and stability. Pointing to the scale of the conflict and its global costs, he said maximum efforts should be made to end the conflict immediately through negotiations.

Attack on a power plant serving the Prophet's Mosque in Medina

Al-Hashimi said Qatar strongly condemned an attack on a power plant serving the Prophet's Mosque in Medina that was attributed to the Houthis. Calling the Houthis' stance toward Saudi Arabia, Islam's holy sites and civilian facilities irresponsible, Al-Hashimi said Qatar supports all measures taken by Saudi Arabia to protect its security and territorial integrity.

Al-Hashimi also addressed the Iranian pilots, saying that the latest information on the matter had been conveyed to the Iranian side. He said Qatar was ready to receive a delegation from Iran to examine the steps taken and the current situation on the ground.

Qatar backs Mecca Alliance but says joining would be premature