Qatar is looking to strengthen its defence partnership with the United States after Iranian missile strikes targeted its territory during the recent regional conflict.

A senior official said the current security arrangement remains an important deterrent, but recent events have highlighted the need to reinforce it further.

Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday, foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said Qatar wants to bolster its defence ties with Washington and other Western allies.

He stressed that the country’s security cooperation with the United States remains solid and is not under question.

However, Al Ansari noted that defence agreements with both the United States and European partners should be strengthened to better respond to emerging threats.

Iranian attacks escalated regional tensions

The statement comes after Iran launched missile and drone strikes on oil-producing Gulf neighbours following U.S.-Israeli attacks that killed several Iranian leaders.

The escalating conflict disrupted oil production in the region and triggered a surge in global oil prices.

During the war, which erupted on February 28, Iran targeted the Al Udeid Air Base — the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East — located in Qatar.

Deterrence still important, official says

Al Ansari said security partnerships play a crucial role in protecting the country from potential attacks.

“The partnerships are the main stop-gap and deterrent against any attack on our country,” he said.

He added that when conflicts spiral out of control, deterrence mechanisms may fail, but that does not mean such security arrangements should be abandoned.

Instead, he said Qatar’s goal is to further strengthen those deterrents.

In October, Donald Trump pledged that any armed attack on Qatar would be treated as a threat to U.S. national security.

At the same time, Iran has warned it would retaliate against U.S. targets in the region if it comes under attack.

These developments have heightened concerns about a broader confrontation in the Middle East.