ISTANBUL

Qatar said Tuesday that Iranian strikes on vital infrastructure risk setting a “dangerous precedent” that could expose the region’s populations to multiple threats, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The remarks came during a call between Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in which the two sides discussed the escalation of military tensions in the region and potential consequences for regional and international security.

Al Thani reiterated Qatar’s condemnation of Iranian attacks targeting Qatari territory, saying they cannot be accepted under any justification.

“Qatar has consistently sought to distance itself from regional conflicts and has worked to facilitate dialogue between Iran and the international community,” he added.

The Qatari premier warned that “irresponsible targeting” of critical infrastructure, particularly facilities related to water, food and energy, represents “a dangerous precedent” that could expose the region’s peoples to multiple risks.

He demanded an immediate halt to escalatory actions and a return to dialogue and diplomatic engagement to contain the crisis and safeguard regional security.

Wang urged de-escalation, encouraging reason and diplomacy to prevail, and for negotiations to resume to avoid further instability.

In a development seen as unprecedented since the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran on Feb. 28, Iranian drones headed toward the Gulf struck a water desalination facility in Bahrain.

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said Sunday that Iranian attacks had randomly targeted civilian sites and caused damage to a desalination plant following a drone strike.

The Electricity and Water Authority later said the attack did not affect water supplies or the network’s operational capacity.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, meanwhile, accused the US of attacking a freshwater desalination facility on Qeshm Island.

The targeting of water facilities has raised concerns about a critical resource for Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman, which rely heavily on seawater desalination due to limited natural freshwater sources.

Regional escalation has flared when Israel and the US launched a joint attack against Iran, killing more than 1,200 victims and injuring 10,000. Israel has also expanded its military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Refusing to surrender, Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries that are home to US military assets.