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June 24, 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

Al Jazeera spends more than $500,000 defending itself against attacks

The Qatari broadcaster is under attack from Doha’s Gulf rivals.

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper is welcomed by Saudi Arabia's Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia October 21, 2019. REUTERS/Idrees Ali - RC14E5C39AA0

How Turkey’s Syria incursion could have big impact in the Gulf

Turkey's Operation Peace Spring has exacerbated the divide between Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait on the one hand and Qatar on the other.

U.S. President Donald Trump sits down to a meeting with of Gulf Cooperation Council leaders, including Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (R), during their summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 21, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RC19B4965AE0

Trump intensifies ‘Arab NATO’ talks after Iran strike

The Donald Trump administration is working to push forward with a military alliance of Middle Eastern states as the international community looks to respond to a suspected Iranian attack on a Saudi oil facility.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 24: Lolwah Rashid Al-Khater, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, speaks at the APCO backstage studio during the 2019 Concordia Annual Summit - Day 2 at Grand Hyatt New York on September 24, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Concordia Summit)

Interview

Qatar spokesperson: Blockade 'existential threat' to GCC

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson remains optimistic that diplomacy in Afghanistan remains possible.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is greeted by Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa after arriving at Manama International Airport in Manama, Bahrain, January 11, 2019. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Pool via REUTERS - RC18014FB370

Bahrain would welcome 'new JCPOA' if Iran ends 'toxic' behavior

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, the foreign minister of Bahrain, says his country is "not shy" about working with the United States to support peace and prosperity in the region.

Oman's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah meets with Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (not pictured) in Tehran, Iran July 27, 2019. Nazanin Tabatabaee/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS. ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC19F47221C0

Interview

Oman minister describes role as 'facilitator' of diplomacy in turbulent region

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Oman’s minister responsible for foreign affairs, describes his country's role as facilitator, not mediator, to resolve the region's conflicts, including Iran, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Yemen, and the embargo of Qatar.

Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah

Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Oman

GAZA CIY, GAZA - SEPTEMBER 02: Head of the Political Bureau of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh attends the commemoration ceremony for the three policemen in two suicide bomb attacks and in Gaza City, Gaza on September 02, 2019. (Photo by Mustafa Hassona/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Do the Hamas-Israeli understandings have a future?

The results of the Israeli elections have raised concerns within Hamas about the future of the understandings reached between the movement and Israel that have provided Gaza a lifeline and that are helping it remain in control.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry addresses journalists during a joint press conference with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias (not pictured) following a meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Athens, Greece July 30, 2019. REUTERS/Costas Baltas - RC130150F8D0

Egyptian FM: Ethiopian dam development shouldn’t 'come at expense of lives of Egyptians'

In an exclusive, in-depth interview with Al-Monitor, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry says he sees no change in Qatari policies; great potential in regional integration; and says Egypt will play its "traditional role" to support "courageous decisions" to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Women are seen at Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque before a visit by Pope Francis in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, February 4, 2019. REUTERS/Tony Gentile - RC187AF4AC70

GCC countries miss chance to grant women full citizenship rights

The tensions polarizing the Gulf region could have triggered long-awaited citizenship reforms, but the right to automatically pass on nationality remains a male preserve.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (L) speaks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (not pictured) at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China August 26, 2019. How Hwee Young/Pool via REUTERS - RC15CB7F1E50

Zarif's 12-nation tour highlights an active Iranian diplomacy

Despite the US sanctions imposed on him, Iran's foreign minister was not hindered in his whirlwind diplomatic tour of Europe and Asia.

Qatar seeks increasing development projects in Africa

Qatar is increasing its investments and aid to Somalia, with plans to expand more in West Africa in the future.

How much are Palestinians paying for 'peace' with Israel?

After receiving another big batch of financial aid from Qatar, some Palestinians are wondering what the on-again, off-again truce with Israel is really costing them.