Writer Thomas I By AfterPost | 20 October 26
Qatar is publicly warning Iran that chaos in the Strait of Hormuz would hurt the Gulf region far more than America or Israel. Qatar's Foreign Ministry media director Ibrahim Al Hashmi said threats like sea mines, oil spills and severed internet cables in Hormuz would fall on regional countries and the Iranian people themselves. His message: the US is separated from Hormuz by an ocean, while Israel does not depend on Gulf waters. So who suffers the most?
Statement made Oct 20 at weekly Foreign Ministry briefing in Doha, as tensions spike over Hormuz closure.
What Qatar said:
Al Hashmi directly questioned Iran's calculation. He asked whether mine explosions, oil spills, or internet cable cuts would harm the US or Israel more than regional countries. He urged Tehran to respect freedom of navigation under international law and keep Hormuz open.
Qatar's position: Only solution is dialogue and peaceful diplomacy. Military solution will not work.
This comes as Qatar mediates between US and Iran. Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari confirmed communication has "not stopped" despite war fears.
Why Qatar is speaking out now:
1. Mines already exploding:
On Oct 20, two tankers caught fire after hitting mines in Hormuz, IRGC Navy claimed it planted mines at "illegal crossing point" and declared Strait closed. Earlier Singapore-flagged GFS Pride sank after suspected mine strike. UKMTO reporting ongoing incidents 121 nautical miles east of Oman.
2. Internet cable threat:
IRGC warned Oct 20 that 7 undersea cables under Hormuz could be targets. Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei earlier warned regional cables, data centres and AI sites worth $2 trillion could be attacked if war resumes. Tehran frames cables like FALCON and Gulf Bridge International as leverage.
3. Qatar already hit:
In March, Iranian strikes damaged Qatar's Ras Laffan LNG complex, repairs to take years. Deputy PM Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani warned energy shockwaves have "not yet peaked" and opposed transit fees in Hormuz.
What chaos in Hormuz would mean: I
- Mines:
Psychological weapon. Thousands stockpiled, hard to clear. US Navy has decommissioned most mine-sweepers, per former CENTCOM official. Creates fear, shuts flow. 20% of global oil traded passed through before Feb 28 war start.
- Oil spills:
Environmental catastrophe in shallow Gulf. Would poison desalination plants that Gulf states depend on for drinking water, including Iran itself.
- Internet cables:
International Cable Protection Committee says 5 active segments cross Hormuz, <1% of global bandwidth, but regional impact acute. Iraq most exposed (both FALCON and GBI go via Hormuz). Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain limited redundancy. UAE better protected via Fujairah landing east of strait. Banking, cloud, AI data centre build-out in Gulf at risk.
Qatar's logic: US oil independence growing, protected by Atlantic. Israel imports via Mediterranean and Red Sea, not Gulf. Gulf states, Iran, Iraq would face blackouts, water crisis, economic collapse.
Context:
War started Feb 28 with US-Israel joint strikes on Iran. Iran retaliated, restricting shipping. Iran now pushing 7-point proposal: lift blockade, unfreeze assets, lift oil sanctions, halt US military actions. US says it has "total control" of Hormuz. Pakistan army chief Asim Munir in Tehran Oct 20 for mediation.
Qatar balancing act: host of US Al Udeid base, but also maintaining channels with Tehran.
FAQ
What did Qatar warn Iran about Hormuz?
Qatar's FM spokesman said mines, oil spills and cutting internet cables in Strait of Hormuz would hurt regional countries and Iranians most, not US or Israel.
Why is Strait of Hormuz important?
Carries ∼20% of global oil and LNG, plus 5 submarine internet cable segments vital for Gulf banking and cloud services. Only sea exit for Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, much of Iran and Saudi eastern oil.
Does Israel depend on Strait of Hormuz?
No, Qatar notes. Israel's oil and gas comes via Mediterranean and Red Sea, not through Hormuz, so closure hurts Gulf neighbors more.
Are there mines in Strait of Hormuz now?
IRGC claims it planted mines and two tankers hit them Oct 20, on fire. Not independently verified. UKMTO reports ongoing military activity and shipping incidents.
Would cutting internet cables cause global blackout?
No global blackout. ICPC says <1% of international bandwidth transits Hormuz, traffic reroutable. But regional outage for Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain would be severe, affecting banks and AI centres.
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