Macron Urges US-Iran Direct Talks; Qatar Expels Iranian Diplomats
French President Emmanuel Macron called for direct discussions between Washington and Tehran as European leaders push for de-escalation. Qatar ordered Iranian military attaches to leave within 24 hours following the attack on its gas facility.
Sercan Roni
In a flurry of diplomatic activity on Thursday, world leaders scrambled to contain the rapidly escalating conflict in the Middle East as French President Emmanuel Macron called for direct US-Iran talks and Qatar expelled Iranian diplomats following a brazen attack on its energy infrastructure.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels ahead of a European Council meeting, Macron said he hopes the United States and Iran can establish "direct discussions," urging all sides to return to negotiations and dialogue to ease tensions. The French president described strikes on energy facilities in several Gulf countries as "reckless," warning the situation could have a lasting impact on global energy production capacity .
In an early morning social media post, Macron revealed he had spoken with US President Donald Trump and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, following the strikes on gas production facilities in Iran and Qatar. He stressed that it was in the common interest to implement without delay a moratorium on such strikes, emphasizing that "civilian populations and their essential needs, as well as the security of energy supplies, must be preserved from military escalation" .
Meanwhile, Qatar took decisive diplomatic action, declaring the military and security attaches at the Iranian Embassy in Doha "persona non grata" and ordering them to leave the country within 24 hours . The Foreign Ministry warned that if Iran continues "this hostile approach, Qatar will take further measures to protect its sovereignty, security and national interests" . Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani later told a joint news conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, "We stress the importance of the immediate cessation of Iranian attacks on countries in the region," adding, "We believe diplomacy is the first and final solution to conflicts" .
In a separate diplomatic development, Iraq's Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning the strikes on regional energy facilities. "Recent attacks targeting energy facilities in several of Iraq's neighbouring countries and other brotherly nations in the region constitute a worrying escalation that threatens to undermine efforts to reduce tensions and jeopardise stability," the ministry said, while stressing the importance of ensuring continuous supplies to global energy markets .
