Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will provide accommodation for Maltese citizens stranded in the region without alternative lodging arrangements, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ian Borg has announcedThe development follows talks between Borg and Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister of Qatar, as well as Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the UAE.According to Borg, both countries confirmed they will provide accommodation to all travellers, including Maltese nationals, whose lodging arrangements may have lapsed amid the escalating conflict. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lovin Malta (@lovinmalta)The discussions took place ahead of an emergency meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, with the Qatari and Emirati leaders also encouraging Malta to continue discussions with Israel and the United States to assist in the repatriation of EU citizens who may wish to leave the region.Borg reiterated Malta’s condemnation of Iran’s retaliatory strikes on Gulf states and called for restraint to prevent further escalation.“Malta will continue to advocate for restraint, dialogue, international law and the protection of civilians, including Maltese in these countries,” he said.The Foreign Ministry has once again advised Maltese citizens in Gulf states to remain indoors unless necessary and urged anyone in Malta or elsewhere to refrain from travelling to the region until further notice.“Our embassies and consular directorates are in touch with Maltese citizens in the affected countries,” Borg added.The announcement comes after a weekend of major escalation in the Middle East, beginning with joint US and Israeli air strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.Iran subsequently launched retaliatory missile strikes across Israel and several Gulf countries hosting US military bases.As tensions rose, Maltese soldiers from the Special Operations Unit who were due to travel to Jordan for specialised training were asked to return home.Are you or someone you know currently affected by the travel disruption?•