United Nations – UN experts have left for Saudi Arabia to probe weekendblasts at oil installations, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres saidWednesday, as he warned of “devastating” consequences if the crisisescalates.
The UN chief said that the experts were authorized to start a probe underthe Security Council resolution that endorsed the 2015 nuclear agreementwith Iran, which the United States blames for the attacks.
The UN experts “have already left for Saudi Arabia and obviously they willbe doing their job according to the mandate that the Security Council hasgiven them,” Guterres told reporters.
While saying that he would wait to see the results of the investigation, hesaid he “strongly” condemned the attack.
“I think this attack is a dramatic escalation in the Gulf and I believethat we absolutely need to stop this kind of escalation,” he said.
“If there would be a major confrontation in the Gulf, it would havedevastating consequences for the region and globally,” he said.
The 2015 resolution, endorsing the nuclear deal from which US PresidentDonald Trump has withdrawn, authorized UN experts to investigate suspecteddiscoveries of Iranian military hardware.
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US officials say that the attack on the Abqaiq oil complex originated onIranian soil despite a claim of responsibility by Yemen’s Huthi rebels,with Washington casting doubt on the insurgents’ capabilities.
Riyadh said Wednesday the attacks were “unquestionably” sponsored by Iran.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has backed the claim by the Huthis, whoenjoy support from Tehran and have been hit hard by a Saudi-led militarycampaign that has contributed to a humanitarian catastrophe.
Diplomats said that UN experts were also being sent under a SecurityCouncil resolution on Yemen due to the Huthi rebels’ claim ofresponsibility. -APP/AFP
