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According to a report by The Jerusalem Post on Saturday, June 13, 2026, Qatar apparently offered Iran a “secret deal” before its war with the US and Israel to secure its oil infrastructure.
Qatar offered to stop gas production in exchange for Iran not targeting Qatari energy installations, according to Middle Eastern and Western officials, according to the Washington Post. The goal was to protect Qatar’s Ras Laffan gas complex, a vital energy hub.
The newspaper quoted officials as saying Qatar wanted to prevent infrastructure damage that could take years to repair. One regional security official said the policy was meant to avoid long-term disruption since facility destruction may take “10 years to recover.”
It was also said the initiative had geopolitical consequences. According to authorities reported by The Washington Post, Qatar’s temporary gas production stoppage was expected to raise global energy prices, putting pressure on the US and Israel to settle the war.
One official said Qatar told Iran, “You will achieve your objectives without striking us,” emphasising its neutrality while protecting critical infrastructure.
Despite the reported arrangement, escalation occurred. The March Iranian missile strike on Ras Laffan damaged it, according to the Washington Post. Qatar temporarily halted down operations at the plant earlier that month, but Iran did not confirm any deal.
Qatari officials strenuously refuted the deal. Qatar’s international media office called the charges “categorically false” and said energy production decisions were never coordinated with Iran or impacted by the war, according to The Washington Post.
The statement added that the article was meant to “sabotage ongoing efforts to mediate an end to the conflict, damage Qatar’s reputation and undermine the strategic partnership between Qatar and the United States.”
One official said that Qatar had pushed Iran to avoid attacks, but no conversations of the like alleged had taken place, warning that such arrangements would have set “a very dangerous precedent.”
Qatar was in “survival mode” amid regional tensions, according to former US ambassador Timmy Davis, who noted that numer ous sides had pressured the country.
