Qatar reportedly engaged in covert discussions with Iran during the recent conflict, proposing a deal designed to protect its critical natural gas infrastructure from attack while simultaneously increasing economic pressure on the United States and Israel, according to a report by The Washington Post.

The report claims that as Washington and Israel prepared military operations against Iran, Qatari officials quietly sought assurances that Tehran would refrain from targeting the country’s massive energy facilities.

According to the newspaper, Qatar conveyed a message to Iranian officials that if Tehran spared the Ras Laffan natural gas complex from attack, Doha would halt gas production at the facility. Such a move would likely trigger a sharp rise in global energy prices and increase economic pressure on the United States and Israel to bring the conflict to a rapid conclusion.

Despite those efforts, Iran later launched a missile attack against Qatar in mid-March, sending plumes of smoke rising from the vicinity of the world’s largest natural gas production complex.

The strike reportedly damaged portions of infrastructure connected to a facility responsible for nearly one-fifth of the world’s gas supply, jeopardized multi-billion-dollar contracts with China and other international customers, and complicated efforts to end the conflict by drawing Qatar—one of the principal mediators between Washington and Tehran—deeper into the crisis.

According to The Washington Post, the attack also shattered Qatar’s secret efforts to keep the Ras Laffan complex off Iran’s target list.

Middle Eastern security officials and Western sources briefed on intelligence assessments told the newspaper that Doha had spent considerable time attempting to secure informal guarantees that the facility would be spared.

The industrial complex in question is enormous, covering an area nearly twice the size of Washington, D.C. The natural gas produced there powers homes, industries, and electrical grids across Asia, Europe, and other parts of the world.

The report alleges that Qatar essentially offered Iran a “secret deal” under which Tehran would avoid attacking Qatari territory while Doha would leverage its gas production as a means of pressuring world powers to seek a swift end to the war.

One source familiar with the discussions told The Washington Post that Qatar’s message to Iran was straightforward: “You will achieve your goals without attacking us.”

Officials cautioned, however, that Qatar never succeeded in obtaining a formal commitment from Tehran. Nonetheless, subsequent developments suggested that some form of tacit understanding may have existed, at least temporarily.

On the third day of the conflict, Qatar shut down operations at Ras Laffan, publicly citing military threats to the facility.

However, satellite imagery reviewed by The Washington Post reportedly showed no visible damage to the complex at the time of the shutdown.

Statements by senior Qatari officials also contributed to turbulence in global energy markets. Among them was a warning from Qatar’s energy minister that the war would “derail the world’s economies.”

In response to inquiries from The Washington Post, Qatari officials strongly denied seeking any secret arrangement with Iran.

Doha insisted that the decision to suspend gas production was based solely on concerns for employee safety and the protection of critical infrastructure amid the threat of military attacks.

“Any suggestion that operational decisions related to energy production were made in coordination with Iran or for Iran’s benefit or to influence the course of the war is completely false,” Qatar’s International Media Office said in a statement.

Qatar further accused critics of attempting to undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts.

Officials said the allegations were intended to “sabotage efforts to mediate an end to the war, damage Qatar’s reputation, and undermine the strategic partnership between Qatar and the United States.”

Qatar maintains close channels of communication with Iranian leaders as part of its longstanding role as a regional mediator.

The Gulf nation hosts leaders of the Iranian-backed Hamas terrorist organization in Doha and shares access with Iran to the world’s largest natural gas field.

According to the report, U.S. officials said the CIA and senior members of the Trump administration were aware of Qatar’s communications with Iran, despite concerns that such contacts could be viewed as potentially conflicting with broader American and Israeli military objectives during the conflict.

{Matzav.com}