Qatar Prime Minister Warns of Regional "Earthquake" and Shifts Investment to $38bn Infrastructure Plan

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has called on states to respect sovereignty as a fundamental condition for security in the Middle East, warning against dangerous cycles of escalation following what he described as an "earthquake" caused by the US-Israel war on Iran.

Speaking on Sunday at the opening of the Qatar Economic Forum’s UN General Assembly-adjacent event in New York City, Sheikh Mohammed emphasized that the region urgently requires a framework where sovereignty is strictly respected and no state poses a threat to another.

The prime minister, who also serves as Qatar’s foreign minister, noted that the economic fallout from the conflict has sent shock waves far beyond the borders of the Middle East, challenging long-held assumptions about security and global stability.

"During the crisis, almost every conversation began with security and de-escalation, then turned to energy supplies, shipping routes, and with our investments, plans will continue," Sheikh Mohammed said. He added that while Qatar has successfully weathered tests to the foundations of its economy and security, the ongoing conflict continues to impact the wider region.

Reporting from New York, Al Jazeera’s Kristen Saloomey highlighted that this message will likely be reiterated when Gulf leaders meet US President Donald Trump during the UN General Assembly.

In response to the regional instability, Sheikh Mohammed outlined a significant domestic shift in Qatar's investment strategy, pledging more than $38bn in spending on Qatari infrastructure over the next five years to attract private investors and demonstrate national resilience.

Meanwhile, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed Al-Ansari, informed US media in New York that official mediation efforts remain ongoing in an attempt to restart talks between Tehran and Washington to bring an end to the US-Israel war on Iran.