Qatar Energy Chief Says Bessent ‘Wrong’ About Hormuz Future

By Kevin Whitelaw and Annmarie Hordern

Sep 20, 2026 (Bloomberg) —Qatari Energy Minister Saad Al-Kaabi said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is “wrong” when he said that the strategic Strait of Hormuz will be worthless in two years. 

“I mean, maybe this is his view. I think this is completely wrong,” he said, speaking Sunday at the Qatar Economic Forum in New York City.

Bessent had made the remark earlier this month, saying that the crucial waterway — a crunchpoint for the global oil trade that has been largely blocked by the Iran war — will become less important as countries