Face of Nation : US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has blamed Iran for Saturday’s drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities. He dismissed a claim by Yemeni Houthi rebels that they had attacked the two facilities, run by state-owned company Aramco.
Saudi Arabia’s energy minister said the strikes had reduced crude oil production by 5.7 million barrels a day – about half the kingdom’s output.
Correspondents say they could have a significant impact on world oil prices. TV footage showed a huge blaze at Abqaiq, site of Aramco’s largest oil processing plant, while a second drone attack started fires in the Khurais oilfield.
The Saudis lead a Western-backed military coalition supporting Yemen’s government, while Iran backs the Houthi rebels. If the rebels were responsible for the attacks, their drones would have had to fly hundreds of miles from Yemen into central Saudi Arabia.
Tensions between the US and Iran have escalated in recent months. since US President Donald Trump abandoned a deal limiting Iran’s nuclear activities last year and reinstated sanctions.
In a tweet, Mr Pompeo said there was “no evidence” the drones came from Yemen. He described the attack as “an unprecedented attack on the world’s energy supply”. “We call on all nations to publicly and unequivocally condemn Iran’s attacks,” Mr Pompeo added.
The US would work with its allies to ensure energy markets remained well supplied and “Iran is held accountable for its aggression”, he added. The White House said Mr Trump had offered US support to help Saudi Arabia defend itself.
