Iran International
Israel’s strike in Doha targeting senior Hamas leaders has given Tehran a chance to present itself as the true defender of Arab sovereignty and Palestinian resistance.
The rare attack on Qatari soil—a US ally and mediator in the Israel-Hamas conflict—took place Tuesday during a Hamas leadership meeting to consider a US-backed ceasefire proposal. Qatar’s Prime Minister denounced the assault as “state terrorism,” saying it sabotaged peace efforts.
Iranian officials moved quickly to condemn the strike. President Masoud Pezeshkian phoned Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani within hours, calling the attack an “illegal, inhumane and anti-peace action.”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei described it as a violation of international law and Qatar’s national sovereignty, warning: “Global inaction in the face of Zionist regime’s crimes in Palestine and West Asia threatens all.”
National security chief Ali Larijani echoed the sentiment in Arabic.
“The message of the Zionist entity’s recent crime in Qatar: O countries of the region! Prepare yourselves for my upcoming dominance!” he posted on X.
Qatar-Iran relationship
Tehran’s framing draws on recent memory. Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s political bureau chief, was assassinated in Tehran in July 2024 while attending Pezeshkian’s inauguration—a killing Iran cast as part of a broader campaign to decapitate the Hamas leadership.
Iran has also sought to distinguish its conduct from Israel’s.
When it struck the US Al Udeid air base in June, Tehran notified Qatar in advance and emphasized that Doha was not the target. Qatar condemned the strike but acknowledged Iran’s outreach and later expressed hope for continued good ties.
On September 4, Pezeshkian sent a message through top diplomat Abbas Araghchi requesting Sheikh Tamim’s help in facilitating dialogue with the US and the E3 to resume nuclear negotiations.
‘Lesson for US allies’
Many in Tehran framed Israel’s strike as a gift to the Islamic Republic’s regional narrative.
Mohammad Mokhber, a former vice president and close advisor to Khamenei, said the incident shows the futility of relying on the Abraham Accords.
Hardline activist Hatef Salehi called it a “lesson” for US allies in the region.
“It demonstrated, in the clearest way, that no matter how much Arab states serve US interests … Washington’s absolute priority is always the protection of the Israeli regime,” he posted on X.
Even moderate voices highlighted potential benefits for Tehran.
Journalist Reza Ghobeishavi argued the incident may push Gulf states closer to Iran.
“Previously, there was an idea that Israel would defend the Gulf countries against Iran, but that notion has now been weakened,” he wrote on X. “Israel’s attack on Qatar benefits Iran’s camp and Israel’s opponents, while harming the camp that supports normalizing relations with Israel.”
