The foreign ministers of Iran and Qatar spoke by phone on Monday to discuss the impact of the ongoing U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict, regional developments, and bilateral relations, Iran's Foreign Ministry said.
Iran's Seyed Abbas Araghchi highlighted his country's efforts to maintain friendly ties with regional countries, including Qatar, and attributed current tensions to U.S.-Israeli aggression and the use of regional bases for attacks on Iran.
He urged neighboring countries to prevent foreign powers from using their territories for military operations and called for "collective and endogenous" peace and security.
The Iranian minister also condemned "crimes" committed by the United States and Israel against the Iranian people and reaffirmed Iran's determination to defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. He called for international accountability for U.S.-Israeli attacks on schools, universities, hospitals, industrial sites, and nuclear facilities.
According to the Iranian statement, Qatar's prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, who also serves as the Qatari foreign minister, emphasized his country's opposition to the use of force against Iran, respect for Iran's sovereignty, and the need for an immediate end to the conflict to restore regional stability.
Separately, the Qatari Foreign Ministry said the prime minister condemned Iran for targeting Qatar and other regional countries and rejected the targeting of civilian infrastructure on any side.
He also urged all parties to respect international law, emphasizing that a comprehensive and lasting diplomatic solution is the only way to resolve the crisis.
On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States carried out strikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities, which Tehran said killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, senior military commanders, and civilians. Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes against Israeli and U.S. bases and assets across the Middle East.
Iran, Qatar discuss ongoing war, bilateral relations
Iran, Qatar discuss ongoing war, bilateral relations
Hong Kong's first astronaut lifted off into space on Sunday, sparking a wave of enthusiasm for space exploration in the special administrative region, while inspiring a new generation to look to the stars.
The Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 23:08 (Beijing Time) on Sunday. The crew members include Lai Ka-ying, the first astronaut and payload specialist from Hong Kong to join a national space mission, whose achievements have motivated many Hong Kong residents.
"I feel so happy and thrilled. This is the first time a Hong Kong astronaut has gone to space, and to see a true Hong Konger, who is also a mother of three, just really touches my heart," said Chow, a local resident.
The successful spaceflight of Lai has especially captivated the younger generation to dream bigger about the future.
"I want to be an astronaut, because I want to discover more things about space," said a young student surnamed Chow.
"I have seen things related to spaceflights of astronauts. I hope when I grow up, I could receive training and go to space myself," said another student surnamed Koo.
To meet public expectations, the Hong Kong Space Museum has updated its space-themed exhibition with the latest development of the Shenzhou-23 mission, extending the display until July 6. Parents are seizing the moment to enrich their children's knowledge.
"At his age, I want him to be exposed to a wide range of information. With all the recent astronaut news, I brought him here specially to see for himself. We will also check out a film about space knowledge at the planetarium. I hope he can get more out of this from an early age," said Cheung, a father.
"We just watched the Shenzhou-23 launch at home with my son last night, and decided to take him to the Space Museum," a mother surnamed Chun shared.
"I saw on TV that so many people were cheering for the launch. When the rocket was launched, fire burst out from its body. I was really happy they succeeded," said Chun's son.
Hong Kong's first astronaut ignites citywide enthusiasm over space exploration
