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June 23, 2026

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Qatar's Energy Minister and CEO of QatarEnergy Saad Sherida al-Kaabi speaks during a press conference in Doha on June 22, 2026.

Explainer

Qatar blast underscores challenges in race to restart Gulf energy flows

The deadly explosion marks an early test of Gulf efforts to revive oil and gas production following a historic energy supply shock caused by the US-Israel-Iran war.

A picture taken on June 5, 2017, shows a man walking past the Qatar National Bank branch in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

Gulf investment to turn inward to rebuild postwar infrastructure: QNB

Charles-Emmanuel de Beauregard, Qatar National Bank’s head of corporate and institutional banking, said that the Gulf countries will need to rebuild their logistics capabilities after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Latest News

Analysis

Gulf aluminum pursues global deals as Hormuz crisis accelerates shift

Aluminum from Dubai sits in the BMW Landshut factory on Oct. 25, 2024 in Ergolding, Germany.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Analysis

Turkey pushes Iraq, Syria trade routes as Hormuz crisis disrupts Gulf shipping

Vessels are seen anchored in the Strait of Hormuz, off the port city of Khasab on Oman's northern Musandam Peninsula, on May 17, 2026.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Karen Young

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional energy

Reve Chaaban

In Doha reporting on culture

Activists play football during a symbolic action by LGBT+ associations in front of the FIFA museum in Zurich on Nov. 8, 2022.

Qatar World Cup ambassador says homosexuality is 'haram'

Qatar’s human rights record is under scrutiny in the lead-up to the World Cup, particularly regarding the treatment of LGBTQ people and laborers.

JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images

Qatar summons German ambassador over World Cup criticism

Qatar, which will be the first Middle East country to host the World Cup, has been criticized by Germany for its human rights record.

Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Qatar signs deal with Google Cloud

Qatar is seeking to digitize its economy and government, while Google Cloud wants to expand in the Middle East.

Egyptian Minister of Petroleum Tarek el-Molla (C) speaks during the opening session of the 24th ministerial meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, Cairo, Egypt, Oct. 25, 2022.

Gas forum kicks off in Cairo

Qatar and Russia may be looking to cooperate more on energy matters.

This picture taken on Oct. 18, 2022 shows a view of solar panels at the newly-inaugurated al-Kharsaah solar power plant in Qatar.

Qatar brings new solar power plant into operation

The French energy giant TotalEnergies is the Gulf nation's partner in the project.

CIS summit

Middle Eastern leaders converge on Kazakhstan

The Central Asian nation hosted the annual Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia and the Commonwealth of Independent States summits this week.

David Hecker/Getty Images

Qatari oil, gas exports up 100% in 2022

Qatar is working to export more gas to Europe in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images

Iran to join Shanghai Cooperation Organization

Iran took a step toward joining in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization at a summit in Uzbekistan this week.

Qatar ammonia

Qatar to build new plant to produce blue ammonia

Several Gulf states are experimenting with blue ammonia and carbon capture technology, which has energy-related potential but a mixed impact on the environment.

A man looks at his phone on the corniche in the Qatari capital Doha on July 2, 2017.

Qatar issues first digital payment licenses to fintech providers

Qatar as well as Saudi Arabia and the UAE are seeking to bolster their fintech sectors.

An Emirates Airlines Boing 777 plane unload a coronavirus vaccine shipment at Dubai International Airport on February 1, 2021 as key transport hub Dubai announced an initiative to accelerate the delivery of coronavirus vaccines, particularly to developing nations. - The Vaccine Logistics Alliance, which includes Dubai-based Emirates airline and global logistics giant DP World, is designed to "speed up distribution of Covid-19 vaccines around the world through the emirate". The alliance will "support" the Wo

Long-term transport growth bodes well for Middle East airlines, airports as competition intensifies

Afshin Molavi

GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images

Explainer: Oman may follow as most Gulf central banks raise rates

Inflation in the Gulf has not been as severe as in other parts of the region.