Former Somali presidents condemn Iran’s missile strike on Qatar

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Tuesday June 24, 2025

FILE — Former Somali Presidents Sharif Sheikh Ahmed (left) and Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo (right) are pictured in separate portraits. Both leaders have publicly condemned Iran’s recent missile strike on a U.S. military base in Qatar, citing violations of international law and threats to regional stability.

Garowe (HOL) — Former Somali presidents Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo and Sharif Sheikh Ahmed have condemned Iran’s missile strike on a U.S. military base in Qatar, warning it violates international law and risks further destabilizing the Gulf region.

The Iranian strike late Monday targeted Al Udeid Air Base, home to the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East. The attack has drawn sharp condemnation from Washington and its Gulf allies, with Somalia's government and former leaders among those denouncing the escalation.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Farmaajo called the strike “a blatant violation of international law,” saying it endangers regional and global peace.

“I strongly condemn the Iranian aggression against Qatar that took place today. Launching missiles at the peaceful State of Qatar is a violation of international law. It also risks further escalating existing regional and global tensions. Iran must refrain from these illegal acts,” said Farmaajo, who led Somalia from 2017 to 2022.

Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, president from 2009 to 2012, echoed that sentiment in a separate statement on X, formerly Twitter.

“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the aggression launched by Iran against Somalia's sisterly State of Qatar, which constitutes a blatant violation of international law and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.

This attack is unacceptable and unjustifiable. The people of my country (Somalia) were gravely alarmed by the use of force.

Time for diplomacy is now to end the dangerous escalation in the volatile region of the Middle East and I urge all sides involved in the conflict to show restraint and to return to the negotiating table.”

The remarks from the former presidents underscore Qatar’s long-standing ties with successive Somali administrations.

During his presidency, Farmaajo strengthened his alliance with Doha, a relationship that extended beyond diplomacy into the heart of Somalia’s political power structure. His 2017 rise to the presidency was closely linked to Qatar-backed campaign efforts orchestrated by his chief strategist, Fahad Yasin, who later became a dominant figure within Villa Somalia and the country’s national security apparatus. The deepened strategic ties were best illustrated during the 2017 Gulf diplomatic crisis when Somalia declined to cut ties with Qatar despite pressure from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Farmaajo now resides in Qatar, where he maintains close ties with the Gulf state as he positions himself for a potential political comeback.

Sharif, currently a key opposition figure, has longstanding historical ties to Qatari leadership dating back to his emergence from the Islamic Courts Union, during which Qatar played a quiet diplomatic role.

The Somali federal government also issued a strong statement hours after the incident, labelling Iran’s strike “a blatant violation of international law and a serious threat to regional peace and stability.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed full solidarity with the government and people of Qatar, reaffirming Somalia’s support for the Gulf nation’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.

“Somalia remains firmly committed to a rules-based international order, founded on respect for national sovereignty, the inviolability of borders, and the peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue and mutual understanding,” the statement read.

Somalia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in January 2016, accusing Tehran of meddling in its internal affairs and using religious and cultural outreach programs to promote sectarian agendas. At the time, Somali officials warned that Iranian diplomats and affiliated organizations were seeking to spread Shia ideology in a country with deep Sunni traditions, an effort they viewed as a threat to national unity and internal stability. The move placed Mogadishu firmly in line with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf allies following the storming of the Saudi embassy in Tehran, reinforcing Somalia’s alignment with the Gulf Cooperation Council bloc.

Though formal diplomatic relations remain suspended, there have been subtle signs of re-engagement. Somali officials met with Iranian counterparts at multilateral forums, including the 2024 Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit in Jeddah. That meeting, which focused on regional de-escalation, marked the first high-level OIC session attended by both Somalia and Iran since the rupture.

Tensions in the Gulf have intensified in recent months amid disputes over maritime security and regional influence, particularly involving Iran’s role in conflicts across Yemen, Syria, and Iraq.

Qatar, a key U.S. ally and diplomatic intermediary, has played a prominent role in recent negotiations involving Hamas, the Taliban, and others. No casualties were reported from the latest strike, but the incident has raised fears of further escalation in the region.

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