Saudi oil attacks an 'act of war' by Iran, Pompeo claims
Sept 18, 2019 20:17:27 GMT -5
Post by J.J.Gibbs on Sept 18, 2019 20:17:27 GMT -5
Saudi oil attacks an 'act of war' by Iran, not Yemen rebels, Pompeo claims
By Barnini Chakraborty | Fox News
US officials say there's mounting evidence that Iran was behind attack on key Saudi oil facilities
U.S. and Saudi forensic teams have been collecting and analyzing the remains of weapons that were used in the attack; chief White House correspondent John Roberts reports.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday doubled down on accusations Iran is responsible for the weekend bombing on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities, telling reporters that the strike was “an act of war.”
Pompeo, speaking from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, added that even if the "fraudulent claims" of responsibility by the Yemen Houthi rebels were true, "it doesn't change the fingerprints of the [Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] as having put at risk the global energy supply."
His comments come hours after President Trump tweeted that he had ordered Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to “substantially increase sanctions” on Iran, amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realdonaldtrump
I have just instructed the Secretary of the Treasury to substantially increase Sanctions on the country of Iran!
72.8K
8:53 AM - Sep 18, 2019
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Earlier this week, Trump said it was "looking like" Iran was responsible for the bombing but did not publically accuse Tehran of the attack.
“Well, it’s looking that way,” the president told reporters at the White House on Monday when asked if Iran was responsible. “We’ll let you know definitively.” He added: “That’s being checked out right now.”
Iran, who has repeatedly denied involvement in the bombings, warned Wednesday that it would "immediately" retaliate against the United States if Tehran is targeted over a crippling weekend attack on Saudi oil facilities.
The threat, which was sent via the Swiss Embassy in Tehran, also condemned previous remarks made by Secretary Pompeo and other high-ranking U.S. officials suggesting Iran was behind the move.
POMPEO ACCUSES IRAN OF 'UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK' AFTER DRONES HIT SAUDI OIL FACILITIES
“Iran’s response will be prompt and strong, and it may include broader areas than the source of attacks,” Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported.
Tehran’s Fars News Agency added that any response would be “rapid and crushing.”
Meanwhile, Saudi officials alleged on Wednesday that Iranian cruise missiles and drones were behind the attack on Sunday, showing journalists remains of the weapons. However, they stopped short of directly accusing Iran of launching the assault.
Saudi military spokesman Col. Turki al-Malki said the attack "came from the north," without saying specifically where it originated. Iraq and Iran are to the north of Saudi Arabia across the Persian Gulf.
"The attack could not have originated from Yemen," he said, disputing the claim by Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels that they launched the weapons.
Full article with videos at link
By Barnini Chakraborty | Fox News
US officials say there's mounting evidence that Iran was behind attack on key Saudi oil facilities
U.S. and Saudi forensic teams have been collecting and analyzing the remains of weapons that were used in the attack; chief White House correspondent John Roberts reports.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday doubled down on accusations Iran is responsible for the weekend bombing on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities, telling reporters that the strike was “an act of war.”
Pompeo, speaking from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, added that even if the "fraudulent claims" of responsibility by the Yemen Houthi rebels were true, "it doesn't change the fingerprints of the [Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] as having put at risk the global energy supply."
His comments come hours after President Trump tweeted that he had ordered Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to “substantially increase sanctions” on Iran, amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realdonaldtrump
I have just instructed the Secretary of the Treasury to substantially increase Sanctions on the country of Iran!
72.8K
8:53 AM - Sep 18, 2019
Twitter Ads info and privacy
27.4K people are talking about this
Earlier this week, Trump said it was "looking like" Iran was responsible for the bombing but did not publically accuse Tehran of the attack.
“Well, it’s looking that way,” the president told reporters at the White House on Monday when asked if Iran was responsible. “We’ll let you know definitively.” He added: “That’s being checked out right now.”
Iran, who has repeatedly denied involvement in the bombings, warned Wednesday that it would "immediately" retaliate against the United States if Tehran is targeted over a crippling weekend attack on Saudi oil facilities.
The threat, which was sent via the Swiss Embassy in Tehran, also condemned previous remarks made by Secretary Pompeo and other high-ranking U.S. officials suggesting Iran was behind the move.
POMPEO ACCUSES IRAN OF 'UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK' AFTER DRONES HIT SAUDI OIL FACILITIES
“Iran’s response will be prompt and strong, and it may include broader areas than the source of attacks,” Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported.
Tehran’s Fars News Agency added that any response would be “rapid and crushing.”
Meanwhile, Saudi officials alleged on Wednesday that Iranian cruise missiles and drones were behind the attack on Sunday, showing journalists remains of the weapons. However, they stopped short of directly accusing Iran of launching the assault.
Saudi military spokesman Col. Turki al-Malki said the attack "came from the north," without saying specifically where it originated. Iraq and Iran are to the north of Saudi Arabia across the Persian Gulf.
"The attack could not have originated from Yemen," he said, disputing the claim by Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels that they launched the weapons.
Full article with videos at link