Qatar PM warns Gulf could run out of water in 3 days if Iran nuclear plant is hit
Qatar's Prime Minister has said the Gulf region could run out of drinking water in just three days if Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant is attacked.
In an interview with US journalist Tucker Carlson given three months ago, Prime Minister Mohammed Al Thani explained that Gulf countries depend on desalinated water from the Persian Gulf. If the nuclear plant were damaged, the water supply could become unsafe.
'The water would be entirely contaminated. No water, no fish, nothing, it has no life,' Al Thani said.
He added, 'The water we use for our people is from desalination. We don't have rivers and we don't have water reserves. Basically, the country would run out of water in three days. That is not only for Qatar. This applies for Kuwait, this applies for UAE. It's all of us.'
A post shared by Elika Mansouri (@icareq8)
Al Thani also said Qatar has carried out risk exercises to assess the impact of damage at the plant and has since built large water storage facilities as a precaution.
His warning comes as tensions rise across the region. The United States launched strikes on Iranian targets, adding to fears that Iran's Bushehr nuclear facility could be at risk. The Gulf Cooperation Council has activated an emergency centre in Kuwait to coordinate safety plans, while Bahrain is preparing 33 emergency shelters.
Regional leaders have raised concern about what could happen if the nuclear site is hit. The foreign ministers of Qatar and the UAE have warned of 'uncalculated' strikes that could harm the waters Gulf countries depend on.
Millions of people in the region rely on desalinated water from the Gulf for drinking, washing, and daily use.
CNN reported that some residents in the Gulf feel anxious about the risk of war or environmental disaster, though others trust local authorities to keep them safe.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
19 minutes ago
- NDTV
Entrances To Tunnels At Iran's Isfahan Nuclear Site Hit By US Strike: UN Watchdog
VIENNA: Entrances to tunnels used to store part of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile at the sprawling Isfahan nuclear complex were hit in US military strikes overnight, the UN nuclear watchdog said on Sunday. "We have established that entrances to underground tunnels at the site were impacted," the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement. Officials have previously said much of Iran's most highly enriched uranium was stored underground at Isfahan. In a statement to the UN Security Council soon after the IAEA statement was issued, the agency's chief, Rafael Grossi, appeared to confirm the tunnels hit were part of the area used for the storage of that stockpile. "Entrances to tunnels used for the storage of enriched material appear to have been hit," he said, referring to Isfahan. Iranian officials have said measures would be taken to protect the country's nuclear material without informing the IAEA. Grossi said Iran could do that in a way that respects its so-called safeguards obligations under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. "Any special measures by Iran to protect its nuclear materials and equipment can be done in accordance with Iran's safeguards obligations and the agency. This is possible," Grossi told the Security Council.
Time of India
31 minutes ago
- Time of India
As Indians leave Israel, Odia student decides to stay back
1 2 Rourkela: In the midst of escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, compounded by the US' recent bombing of nuclear sites in Iran, an Odia student has taken the decision to stay back in Israel even as other Indians are returning home. Despite the Indian govt's efforts to evacuate its nationals from the conflict zone, Taranga Dehury, a 29-year-old post-doctoral researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has opted to stay back, hoping the situation will stabilise soon. He cited a decrease in the frequency of missile strikes on Israel as a reason for his decision. "I have been hearing the sound of sirens for incoming missiles, drones and rockets. But they are not in our area," Dehury told TOI from Israel. A resident of Maranda village in Angul district, he has been conducting post-doctoral research at the university's Institute of Chemistry since March this year. The Indian Embassy in Israel initiated an evacuation operation on Sunday, but Dehury has chosen not to register for the process. "The places particularly affected, like Tel Aviv, Central and North Israel, are about 60km from my university campus. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Write Better, Work Smarter With This Desktop App Grammarly Install Now Undo The frequency of missile strikes on these places has decreased over the last three days," said Dehury, who remains focused on his studies. "I am expecting the situation to improve soon. Although the operation to evacuate Indians was started by the Indian govt, I decided not to leave," he explained. "If it becomes necessary to leave for safety reasons, I will decide at that time." The recent escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict has significantly disrupted daily life in the region. The Hebrew University, along with other institutions, had temporarily closed doors before reopening last Thursday. But following the US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday, Israel's Home Front Command issued new guidelines, restricting activities to essential services and suspending educational activities and gatherings. Like Dehury, Satyaranjan Biswal, another student from Odisha studying at the Hebrew University, has apparently decided to stay back in Israel. But despite repeated attempts, he could not be contacted.
Mint
31 minutes ago
- Mint
UNSC emergency meeting: UN Chief António Guterres warns of 'rathole of retaliation' after US hits Iran nuclear sites
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday (June 22) issued a dire warning at an emergency Security Council meeting, saying the United States' bombing of Iranian nuclear sites marks a dangerous escalation in an already unstable region. 'I have repeatedly condemned any military escalation in the Middle East,' Guterres said. 'The people of the region cannot endure another cycle of destruction. And yet, we now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation.' Calling the strikes a 'perilous turn,' Guterres lamented that his earlier plea for de-escalation had gone unheeded: 'Two days ago, in this very chamber, I made a direct appeal: give peace a chance. That call was not heeded.' Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), also addressed the Security Council via video link, cautioning against further conflict and underscoring the stakes for the global nuclear order. 'We have a window of opportunity to return to dialogue and diplomacy,' Grossi said. 'If that window closes, violence and destruction could reach unthinkable levels, and the global non-proliferation regime as we know it could crumble and fall.' Grossi stressed that nuclear facilities must never be targets in military operations: 'Armed attacks on nuclear facilities should never take place and could result in radioactive releases with grave consequences within and beyond the boundaries of the State which has been attacked.' Grossi confirmed significant surface damage at Iran's Fordow nuclear facility, one of the country's main uranium enrichment centers. 'There are visible craters at Iran's key Fordow nuclear facility, indicating the use by the United States of America of ground-penetrating munitions,' he said. However, the IAEA chief noted that the full extent of the damage remains unknown. 'No one, including the IAEA, is currently in a position to assess the underground damage at Fordow.' The IAEA also confirmed that parts of the Isfahan nuclear complex — specifically entrances to tunnels used to store highly enriched uranium — were struck in the US airstrikes. 'We have established that entrances to underground tunnels at the site were impacted,' the IAEA said in a formal statement issued Sunday. Grossi elaborated in his Security Council remarks: 'Entrances to tunnels used for the storage of enriched material appear to have been hit,' adding that much of Iran's 60% enriched uranium is believed to be stored at Isfahan. Iran has indicated that it may take undisclosed steps to safeguard its nuclear materials, which has raised concerns about reduced transparency. Responding to these reports, Grossi said such steps must be consistent with international obligations. 'Any special measures by Iran to protect its nuclear materials and equipment can be done in accordance with Iran's safeguards obligations,' he stated. 'This is possible — and necessary — under the framework of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.' The UN emergency meeting, requested by Iran, follows the US-led Operation Midnight Hammer, which targeted Iran's Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan facilities early Sunday. and, Washington claims the strikes were necessary to halt Iran's weapons-grade enrichment efforts.
