ISLAMABAD – The Trump administration, which has long demonised Iran andbeen trying to choke off its oil exports, has blamed the latest attacks onSaudi oil processing facilities on the Islamic Republic, despite YemeniHouthi rebels claiming responsibility. Iran rejects the accusations.
The United States will emerge as the “biggest beneficiary” of dronestrikes that targeted a Saudi Aramco processing facility and oilfield ineastern Saudi Arabia, internet tycoon Kim Dotcom has suggested.
The attacks are expected to trigger a jump in oil prices when marketsreopen on Monday, given that Saudi Arabia has halted half its oilproduction – around five million barrels of crude per day, or around 5percent of the world’s daily output.
The millionaire Megaupload founder, who is fighting extradition to the USlinkoncharges of fraud and online piracy, predicted the attacks would emboldenthe US – the largest oil producer – to “blame Iran, go to war, [and] takecontrol of Iran’s oil which pays for the war.”
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This scenario has partly come to pass already: although Yemen’s Houthirebels acknowledged they were behind the strikes, US Secretary of StateMike Pompeo claimed there was “no evidence”link tobelieve the attacks came from Yemen and blamed Iran instead.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif denied any involvement and hitback by saying America’s “maximum pressure” policy turned to “max deceit.”-Sputnik
