Move FM Global News

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – The government of Saudi Arabia says the attacks on its Saudi Aramco oil infrastructure on Saturday came from the north.

A spokesman for the Saudi Ministry of Defense said the attack was unquestionably “supported” by Iran.

Although the only person to directly accuse Iran of being behind the attacks, Secretary Mike Pompeo, others have hinted Iran was responsible.

The Saudi ministry on Wednesday went close to outright claiming Iran was the perpetrator, displaying wreckage of drones and missiles which they said was of Iranian origin.

“The recent attack against Saudi Aramco was not only against the Kingdom, but against the international community as a whole, and was a deliberate attempt to disrupt the global economy. This attack is against international law. Therefore, they should be held accountable. Iran’s aggression and support for terrorist groups in maritime trade routes pose a common threat to us. We call on the international community to recognize Iran’s sabotage practices in the region and its responsibility for the recent attacks on the world’s most important energy site for the international community,” defense ministry spokesman Col. Turki Al-Maliki told a news conference in Riyadh on Wednesday.

“I will focus on two main parts of our findings regarding the initial investigations with the partners. First, this attack was not carried out from Yemen as the Houthis claimed. Second, this attack is originated from the north and undoubtedly was supported by Iran. All the evidence, in our presentation before you, leaves no doubt about the Iranian role in the sabotage,” he said.

“Through these components, the date of manufacturing is in 2019. We know that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard has announced in last February that they owned the latest version of cruise missiles. This is the model of the missiles,”

“All information and findings, that we have and retrieved from the site, refer to the quality developed by the Iranian regime to obtain these weapons for use against the infrastructure in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These are some parts used in the attack with three missiles failing to make their targets. They were heading from north to south. We have retrieved all three missiles except one. We are working on them because they contain explosives,” Al-Malki said.

The spokesman added that “this is another cruise missile out of the three. We have information that the total number of drones and missiles used in the attack amounted to 25 drones and cruise missiles.”

“This attack was systematic to destroy the infrastructure. The drones and missiles used in the attack show a qualitative and similar capacity to what have been used in Afif and Dawadmi. So, they could not have been launched from Yemen as claimed by Iranian proxies. They are not the people of Yemen, but people who are loyal to the Iranian regime who take their orders from the Iranian regime and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard,” Al-Malki said.

Also on Wednesday an official source at the defense ministry on Wednesday confirmed that Saudi Arabia has joined the International Maritime Security Construct.

The aim of the international alliance is to protect merchant ships and ensure safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandab, Sea of Oman and the Arabian Gulf.

Saudi Arabia said it was joining the alliance in order to help ensure global energy security and the continued flow of energy supplies to the global economy, and to contribute to maintain international peace and security.