WASHINGTON/DUBAI (Reuters) – The United States believes the attacks that crippled Saudi Arabian oil facilities last weekend originated in southwestern Iran, a U.S. official told Reuters on Tuesday.
Three officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the attacks involved both cruise missiles and drones, indicating that it involved a higher degree of complexity and sophistication than initially thought.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said it looked as if Iran was behind the attacks but Washington has not produced concrete evidence to support its accusation, and Iran denies involvement in the strikes.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday ruled out talks with the United States unless the Trump administration returns to the nuclear accord between Iran and the West that the United States abandoned last year.
Saudi Arabia sought to reassure markets on Tuesday after the attack on Saturday halved oil output.
A senior Saudi source said the kingdom was already close to restoring 70% of the 5.7 million barrels per day of lost production following the strikes, easing fears that full rehabilitation could take months.
Reporting by Parisa Hafezi and Steve Holland; Additional reporting by Reuters teams in London, Dubai, Riyadh, Cairo, Berlin, Paris, Singapore and New Delhi; Writing by Mike Collett-White and Alistair Bell; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Howard Goller