Qatar was not involved in any U.S.-Iran talks, as its priority remained defending the country and addressing the consequences of the various attacks, Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a media briefing, Al-Ansari said the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran has undermined regional security in the Gulf, adding that the sooner the parties to the conflict return to the negotiating table, the more conducive it will be to de-escalating the situation.
He called for immediate diplomatic negotiations, whether through official or unofficial channels, to reach a resolution.
Since the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, Qatar has maintained coordination and communication with all parties to resolve the crisis, even though it is not currently involved in any talks between the United States and Iran, the spokesman said.
"Qatar is not involved in these talks. Our views about any talks, if they exist, are consistent with our very principled position that all conflicts will end on the negotiation table. And we support all of these efforts. I'm not privy to the details of the current negotiations, but we stand ready to help, of course, if there is any role for Qatar," Al-Ansari said.
He urged relevant parties to stop strikes against civilian and energy infrastructures, stressing that key energy facilities must be protected against any form of threats.
"This was communicated very clearly to all our partners around the world, including the United States. And I think, of course, there is a very clear impact when such a damage happens to the energy sector and the region as a whole. We've said from day one, and we've condemned any attack on energy infrastructure in the region as a very dangerous precedent that would have very dangerous repercussions," Al-Ansari said.
He also said that the total annihilation of Iran is not an option.
Qatar not involved in any US-Iran talks: Qatari FM spokesman
Qatar not involved in any US-Iran talks: Qatari FM spokesman
Slovenia has become the first European Union member state to bring in fuel rationing as a way of managing disruption to supply caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
Under the new measure, customers with private vehicles will be restricted to 50 liters per day with a 200-liter limit for companies and other special cases such as farmers. The government had already begun releasing strategic reserves in an effort to stabilize the market.
Across the country, long queues have formed at petrol stations, with some locations reporting limited availability of diesel. Notices warning customers about shortages have become increasingly common, reflecting the strain on supply chains.
Despite the visible pressure, many drivers said they are not engaging in panic buying.
"I think that's nonsense. Even if the price goes up ten cents it is not a disaster," said Robert, a motorcyclist.
Others, however, expressed concern over how the situation has been handled.
"I wish they would have released fuel reserves sooner and bought more reserves of the fuel for which we knew a month ago there was going to be difficulties," said Severin, a car driver.
Even with the release of strategic fuel reserves, logistical challenges remain a key issue. Many distributors store fuel outside the country, and transport capacity has struggled to keep pace with the recent spike in demand.
Analysts said consumption has increased sharply, driven in part by behavior linked to previous crises.
"They still remember 2022, when the prices were higher for a longer period of time, so they are hoarding the gasoline if they can. They're buying as much as they can, and I think that's the main reason," said Karel Lipnik, a financial analyst at Delo, a national daily newspaper in Slovenia.
Cross-border demand is also contributing to the strain. Slovenia's relatively low fuel prices compared to neighboring countries have attracted foreign buyers, further increasing consumption.
"Slovenia has the lowest price within all the neighboring countries, and it's also spring, so a lot of farmers buy gasoline to do some farming on the fields," Lipnik said.
While fuel prices in Slovenia remain state-regulated, the impact of global market disruptions is becoming increasingly evident. Analysts warned that the period of stable and relatively low fuel prices may be coming to an end, as external shocks continue to influence supply and demand.
Slovenia caps fuel purchases amid energy shortage
