Qatar Warns Global Energy Shocks Have Not Peaked
Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani warns that US-Israel conflict with Iran continues to threaten global energy supplies and international trade stability.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani warned at the Global Security Forum in Doha that global energy shockwaves resulting from the US-Israel war on Iran have not yet peaked. He specifically cited the instability of the Strait of Hormuz as a threat to international trade and rejected the imposition of transit fees on the waterway, arguing such costs would burden global consumers.
The warnings follow a period of intense regional hostilities. After US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28, Iran launched retaliatory strikes that damaged Qatar's Ras Laffan industrial complex, a facility that will require several years of repair. In early March, Qatar reported shooting down two Iranian warplanes during an attack on the US-hosted Al Udeid airbase.
Despite these direct confrontations, Al Thani stated that Qatar maintains communication with Tehran. Qatar is currently pursuing mediation efforts alongside Pakistan and Oman to secure a sustainable settlement between the United States, Iran, and Israel.
