Saudis denounce Iranian-backed attack against oil fields

King Salman: Cowardly Attack Threatens Stability of Global Economy

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet’s session at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah on Tuesday afternoon.

At the outset of the session, the King expressed his appreciation to heads of states, state officials, regional and international organizations, and all those who condemned the attacks on two Aramco plants in Abqaiq and Khurais.

His Majesty reaffirmed the Kingdom’s ability to deal with the effects of such cowardly attacks, which do not only target the Kingdom’s vital installations, but also target global oil supplies, and threaten the stability of the global economy.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, Minister of Media Turki bin Abdullah Al-Shabanah stated that during the meeting, cabinet members asserted that the aim of this unprecedented attacks is to threaten international peace and security and global energy supplies, and is an extension of previous acts of aggression on Saudi Aramco’s pumping stations involving the use of Iranian weapons. Cabinet members called on the international community to shoulder its responsibility in condemning those behind these egregious attacks.

The Cabinet was briefed by the Minister of Energy on the serious consequences of these blatant sabotage attacks on Saudi Aramco oil plants in Abqaiq and Khurais, which according to preliminary estimates, led to the suspension of crude oil supplies estimated at (5.7) million barrels, in addition to the suspension of associated gas quantities estimated at (2) billion cubic feet per day, and a 50% decrease in ethane gas and natural gas liquids supplies.

The Cabinet affirmed that this cowardly attack on the largest and most important crude oil processing plant in the world is an extension of repeated attacks on vital facilities which threaten the freedom of navigation and affect the stability of the global economy.

The Cabinet stressed the Kingdom will defend its lands and vital facilities, and reaffirmed its ability to respond to such acts irrespective of their source, calling on the international community to take tougher measures to stop these blatant attacks that threaten the region, the security of oil supplies and the global economy, and to hold those responsible accountable.

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Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News

Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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