Iran has said it did not attack facilities of Saudi Aramco oil refinery in the kingdom and claimed that the United States and Israel were behind the recent drone operations.
According to Iranian foreign ministry, the drones were launched from American and Israeli bases inside some Arab countries. Iranian authorities alleged that the aim was to drag Arab states into direct confrontation with Iran.
“Iran has announced frankly that it will target all American and Israeli interests, installation, and facilities in the region, and has attacked many of them so far, but Aramco facilities have not been among the targets of Iranian attacks so far,” an Iranian military source told IRGC-linked outlet Tasnim.
The statement comes at a time when the Middle East faces renewed instability.
Iran also accused Israel and the United States of trying to spark a wider conflict in the Muslim world. Tehran said such actions are meant to isolate Iran diplomatically and militarily.
Saudi Arabia has not immediately responded to Iran’s fresh claims. In the past, Riyadh blamed Tehran for attacks on its oil sites, including the 2019 strikes that shook global energy markets. Iran had denied involvement at that time as well.
Impact on oil market
Saudi Arabia has shut down processing at its gigantic Ras Tanura installation, part of the world’s largest oil port, after the attack
One site alone handles around 550,000 barrels per day. Any disruption there could hit supply hard.
So far, the market reaction remains limited. Oil prices have climbed nearly 10 percent since attacks on Iran started. However, analysts say the situation remains fragile.
Experts warn that a prolonged halt in export cargoes from the Arabian Gulf could trigger a strong price rally. In that scenario, crude touching 100 dollars per barrel cannot be ruled out.
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