Qatar rejects attempts to ‘drive wedge’ with US over gas pause

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffMarch 13, 2026 at 12:17 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Qatar has denied accusations that its recent halt in LNG production was politically motivated to influence energy prices in the US, following Iranian drone attacks on Qatari energy facilities. A Qatari official stated the production pause, which strained the global LNG market where Qatar supplies 20% of the world's LNG, was due to safety concerns after the attacks on a power plant and energy facility. The official refuted claims made by an Israeli analyst suggesting coordination between Iran and Qatar to pressure an end to the war, calling it an attempt to create division between Qatar and the US. The official further accused Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu of exploiting global instability to sow tension and division in the region for his own political gain.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Al Jazeera 40% Mesaieed Industrial City 40% Ras Laffan 40% Amit Segal ×250% Israel ×260% Benjamin Netanyahu (Netanyahu) ×260% QatarEnergy ×270% United States ×370% Iran ×470% Qatar ×890%

Keywords

qatar 90% lng production 90% us relations 80% energy prices 70% iranian strikes 70% political motives 60% global lng market 60% qatarenergy 50% netanyahu 50%