Qatar: Allegations of coordination with Tehran on energy file are 'baseless and false'
Qatar rejected claims by The Washington Post regarding coordination of energy decisions with Iran, affirming that the decision was made to protect employees from missile attacks.
Translated by Qiyas from النهار — Original source
Doha (Agencies): Qatar expressed its “complete rejection” on Friday of what it described as “allegations” published by The Washington Post, which claimed that decisions regarding energy production operations were made in coordination between Doha and Tehran to influence the course of events in the region. The Post’s report, published on Friday, alleged that operational decisions related to energy production, whenever made or implemented, were coordinated with Iran or served its interests, or aimed to influence the course of events in the region.
In this context, the Qatar Office of International Media stressed that “all these allegations are baseless and entirely without merit.” It affirmed that “the falsity of these allegations is particularly evident, given that Qatar was at that time repelling Iranian missile attacks targeting its territory.” It added that “the allegations themselves are based on fabricated and unreliable materials, originating from entities seeking to undermine ongoing mediation efforts to end the conflict, damage Qatar’s reputation, and negatively affect the close strategic partnership between Qatar and the United States.”
The Office of International Media clarified that the foundations on which The Washington Post built its allegations “have changed over time, yet the main narrative in its coverage has remained unchanged, despite the facts and information presented to the newspaper.” In the same vein, the Office affirmed that any conclusions suggesting Qatar exaggerated the extent of damage to the Ras Laffan LNG facility, or fabricated it as a pretext for its closure, are entirely baseless. It noted that immediately following the outbreak of military operations, Qatari officials transparently explained that the decision to declare force majeure on LNG contracts was taken because employee safety could no longer be guaranteed. It pointed out that this decision was based on threat assessments conducted by the Qatari Armed Forces, which indicated a real threat to lives at energy facilities.
On another note, the Office of International Media stated that QatarEnergy “has a well-established reputation for commitment to transparency, presenting facts, and staying away from political matters, and it firmly rejects any hint that QatarEnergy deliberately distorted the grounds for suspending its operations or declaring force majeure.” The Office reiterated that Qatar will continue to prioritize the safety of its citizens and residents above any commercial considerations, emphasizing that any attempt to reinterpret or misrepresent this decision is baseless and risks misleading readers.
In conclusion, the Office stated that prestigious media institutions, such as The Washington Post, bear the responsibility of adhering to the highest journalistic standards, especially when covering issues with major global repercussions. It added, “It is highly regrettable that The Washington Post, in this instance, allowed itself to be used as a platform to advance a disinformation campaign orchestrated by entities seeking to undermine efforts to achieve peace in the region, thereby contributing to the spread of false allegations and failing to uphold the accuracy standards expected by its readers.”
