Dili, March 9, 2026 (Lusa) - The Revolutionary Front for an Independent Timor-Leste (Fretilin) has asked the government in parliament to explain its plan for increases in the prices of fuel and other goods due to the conflict in the Middle East.

"The Fretilin bench asks the 9th government to explain to the people its strategy to ensure food supplies, guarantee energy and keep essential products available during the period of conflict in the Middle East," said Fretilin MP José da Cruz.

The MP, who was speaking before the agenda, said his party is concerned because when fuel prices rise, "the prices of other goods and commodities automatically increase."

"The increase in the cost of living will mainly affect poor or low-income families. Meanwhile, the wealthiest, as well as fuel and rice owners and distributors, will be able to profit from this situation," the MP pointed out.

José da Cruz said that some fuel stations have already started to increase prices, even though the stock is old and "arrived in Timor-Leste before the conflict began".

"The government's inability to control prices and ensure that the goods are available will cause our people, especially the poorest or those living on irregular incomes, to suffer severely," he said.

He also said that the government must clarify how many days the fuel reserves and rice reserves, the staple food of the Timorese, will last.

"If those reserves are insufficient, what policies will the government adopt to ensure that the people do not go hungry, that there is no shortage of electricity and that the mobility of the population is not interrupted," he asked.

José da Cruz also asked for clarification on whether the Petroleum Fund is affected by volatility in financial markets and exchange rate fluctuations.

On 28 February, the United States and Israel launched a military attack against Iran, killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country's supreme leader since 1989, during the offensive.

Iran launched retaliatory attacks against targets in Israel, US bases and other infrastructure in countries in the region such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan, Oman and Iraq. Incidents involving Iranian projectiles were also reported in Cyprus and Turkey.

On Sunday, Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was named Iran's new supreme leader.

US President Donald Trump has already said that Ali Khamenei's successor will be a target of attacks on the country, as will several members of the Iranian hierarchy who have already been killed.

MSE/ADB // ADB.

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