Qatar warns of risk of worsening global energy crisis
The consequences of the armed conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran for the global energy market have not yet reached their peak.
That warning was issued by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs of Qatar Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
«We have not yet reached the peak when it comes to energy,» the Qatari television channel Al Jazeera quoted him as saying.
The deputy prime minister spoke at the Doha Forum on global security. According to him, further negative consequences are expected for energy supplies, international trade, and economic growth.
Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani also cautioned against introducing fees for the passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz amid continuing instability in this strategically important body of water, emphasizing that transit fees should not be levied.
The United States and Israel began the war with Iran on February 28. In June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding providing for an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including in Lebanon. However, on the night of July 8, the United States resumed large-scale strikes on Iran, accusing it of violating the terms of the agreements reached with regard to the Strait of Hormuz.
The American administration then effectively signaled an end to the use of large-scale military force against Iran and a shift to economic pressure through sanctions. On October 10, the American leader did not rule out the possibility of new strikes on the Islamic Republic.
