Saudi Crown Prince Says Attack on Oil Facilities Was Act of War by Iran

Gulf

September 30th, 5:04am

Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. (SPA)

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, accused Iran of being behind the attack on Aramco oil facilities earlier this month, adding if the world does not come together to deter Iran, but said he would prefer a political solution to a military one. Speaking to the CBS program “60 Minutes,” he agreed with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the September 14 attacks were an act of war by Iran. But he said he preferred a peaceful resolution because a war between Saudi Arabia and Iran would collapse the global economy. “If the world does not take a strong and firm action to deter Iran, we will see further escalations that will threaten world interests,” the Crown Prince said in the interview that was conducted on Tuesday. “Oil supplies will be disrupted and oil prices will jump to unimaginably high numbers that we haven’t seen in our lifetimes.” The United States, European powers and Saudi Arabia have blamed the attacks on Iran. Tehran has denied any involvement. Instead, the Iran-aligned Yemeni Houthi militias claimed responsibility. “The political and peaceful solution is much better than the military one,” said the Crown Prince. Asked about the murder of Saudi citizen Jamal Khashoggi last year, he described the crime as “heinous”, stressing: “The investigations are being carried out, and once charges are proven against someone, regardless of their rank, it will be taken to court, no exception made.”

from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/1924776/saudi-crown-prince-says-attack-oil-facilities-was-act-war-iran