Senior Saudi Arabian officials blame Iran for attack on Aramco oil facility -

Washington: – The Advisor to the Saudi Royal family claimed, ‘Missile and drone attacks were carried out on the fuel project in far eastern Saudi Arabia. The evidence regarding this is pointing to Iran as the perpetrator of the attacks.’ He made this accusation during an interview with a US newspaper. The Sunday attack has taken the crude oil rates in the international markets to USD 70 per barrel, and there are indications that this conflict will reflect in the crude oil rates in the times to come. This increases the seriousness of the accusations levelled by Saudi Arabia.

Attacks were carried out on the Aramco fuel project at Ras Tanura in Saudi Arabia. Huge stocks of oil are stored at the concerned port near the Persian Gulf. No major damage was caused due to the missile and drone attacks. But the effects of the attack were felt in the international oil rates.

The Houthi rebels from Yemen accepted the responsibility for the attacks at Ras Tanura. But the senior advisor to the Saudi Royal family said during an interview with the US newspaper that the concerned missiles and drones did not originate from Yemen. There are indications that Iran is behind the attack. The Advisor informed that it just could not be confirmed whether the attack originated from Iran or Iraq.

The US newspaper questioned the Iranian officials regarding the accusations levelled by the Saudi Advisor. But these Iranian officials refused to comment on the attack as well as the accusations made by Saudi Arabia. Even before this, the Houthi rebels had claimed to have launched drone attacks on the fuel tankers passing through the Persian Gulf. But Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had accused that Iran was behind these attacks.

Meanwhile, the Dhahran city, which was targeted in the Sunday missile attacks, is in eastern Saudi Arabia. Attacks on this city could escalate the tension in the Persian Gulf and disrupt the commercial oil movement. This could have a direct effect on the crude oil rates in the international markets.