Should a military conflict break out between Saudi Arabia and Iran, it will cause global mayhem, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in an interview that aired Sunday on 60 Minutes.
In the interview, bin Salman said the price of crude oil would spike to “unimaginably high numbers” if there is a war. “The region represents about 30 percent of the world’s energy supplies, about 20 percent of global trade passages, about 4 percent of the world GDP,” he said. “Imagine all of these three things stop. This means a total collapse of the global economy, and not just Saudi Arabia or the Middle East countries.”
Bin Salman said he agrees with the U.S. assessment that an attack on Saudi oil facilities earlier this month was the work of Iran, and while the world needs to take “strong and firm action to deter” the country, he said he strives for peace in the region and thinks President Trump should hold talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to work out a new nuclear deal. Tehran denies being behind the attack.
The crown prince also discussed the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered last October inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. He said he “absolutely” did not order Khashoggi’s killing, but he took full responsibility because “it was committed by individuals working for the Saudi government.” Soon after Khashoggi’s death, the CIA reportedly concluded that bin Salman had ordered the hit.