DOHA, January 13. /TASS/. The Qatari authorities have taken all necessary measures to ensure the security of the country’s population amid the tense situation around Iran, Prime Minister’s Advisor and Foreign Ministry Spokesman Majed bin Mohammed al-Ansari told reporters.
"As for our defense just as in the case of any escalation or regional conflict, our government has taken all the necessary precautionary measures to guarantee the security of Qatar’s citizens and residents is everyone’s top priority, including, of course, the defense and other [ministries]," he said in response to a question on security measures in light of Washington and Tehran’s mutual threats.
In this regard, the spokesman pointed out that Doha participates in the negotiation process to settle the situation around Iran. "We are still at a stage when we believe that a diplomatic solution can be found. That’s why we interact non-publicly with all regional players," the diplomat added. Al-Ansari specified that he could not single out a specific initiative at the moment, but confirmed that "the talks and telephone conversations are continuing."
Unrest in Tehran began on December 29 after street protests triggered by a sharp fall in the Iranian rial exchange rate, and spread to most major cities. Authorities reported the deaths of 38 law enforcement officers. According to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, armed terrorists appeared among the demonstrators on January 8. The Iranian authorities blamed Israel and the United States for organizing the unrest. US President Donald Trump previously stated that he was seriously considering the use of force against Tehran.