Putin: No Proof Iran behind Attack on Saudi Oil Facilities

Russian President Vladimir Putin says there is no way to prove that Iran was behind a September 14 attack by missiles and drones against refineries and other oil installations in Saudi Arabia. He was speaking in Moscow on Wednesday at an energy conference. “We condemn these [strikes] but we are against putting the blame on Iran because there is no proof,” Putin said. He added that he had received assurances to this effect from Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani. Riyadh and Washington quickly blamed Tehran for the attack even though Iranian-back Houthi rebels in Yemen had claimed responsibility. Britain, France and Berlin later joined in the finger-pointing. The strike on one of the facilities – said to be the world’s largest – reduced its output by half, leading to an estimated 5% reduction in world output.