Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand has telephoned Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, amid the intensifying war in the region.

During the call, the Qatari PM “reiterated his condemnation of the Iranian attacks on Qatari territory, stating that they are unacceptable under any pretext or justification. He noted that the State of Qatar has always been keen to distance itself from regional conflicts and has sought to facilitate dialogue between Iran and the international community”, according to a Qatari government statement.

The readout from Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said that Canada’s Anand “called for de-escalation, the application of reason, and a return to negotiations and diplomatic means to avoid further chaos”.