PHNOM PENH, March 14 (Xinhua) -- More than 400 fuel depots and gas stations in Cambodia remained closed due to new stock delays following the outbreak of the Middle East conflict, the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Saturday.

Minister of Commerce Cham Nimul said in a seminar on Thursday that roughly 2,000 out of the kingdom's 6,300 fuel depots and gas stations have reportedly halted their sales in recent days, claiming fuel shortages.

She warned that if any depots or stations were found to be deliberately suspending sales in order to withhold fuel to sell later when prices soared, they would face fines or license revocation.

"After our joint working groups inspected and assessed those fuel depots and stations, with cooperation from their owners, we found that only more than 400 fuel depots and stations remained closed or suspended business operations due to the delays in the arrival of new stock, as the rest of them had been reopened as of March 13, 2026," the statement said.

Since the escalation of the Middle East conflict, the price of regular gasoline in Cambodia rose by 35 percent, while the price of diesel soared by 66 percent, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

A liter of regular gasoline costs 5,200 riels (1.29 U.S. dollars) from Saturday to Monday, as diesel goes for 6,400 riels (1.59 dollars) per liter, the ministry said.

The Southeast Asian country entirely relies on imported diesel and petroleum, as its seabed's oil reserves have not been exploited yet. ■