The United Kingdom’s energy minister has warned petrol retailers that the government would not tolerate “unfair practices” amid a row over rising fuel prices sparked by the Middle East war, AFP reports.

Executives from forecourt operators and firms including Asda, BP, ExxonMobil and Shell were called to Downing Street for talks with Ed Miliband and finance minister Rachel Reeves. The discussions were convened due to increasing concerns about the impact the US-Israeli war against Iran is having on already strained household finances.

“We have said so clearly that we won’t tolerate unfair practices either here or anywhere else in the industry. It is our obligation as the government to ensure the consumers are treated fairly in this crisis,” said Miliband.

Reeves told the petrol bosses that she wanted an “open and frank conversation” with them.

“We have concerns around the high prices and we do have a shared obligation,” she added.

The meeting was earlier thrown into doubt when the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) threatened to pull out, accusing the government of using “inflammatory language” regarding rising fuel prices. The group claimed that recent comments by ministers were leading members of the public to abuse workers at petrol stations.