Iran diplomat warns of ‘all-out war’ if country hit for oil attack

PERSIAN GULF: Stark statement amid rising tensions after Saudi strike

Iran’s foreign minister has warned that any attack on his country over a drone and missile strike on Saudi Arabia’s oil industry will result in “all-out war”, further increasing tensions across the Persian Gulf.

The comments by Mohammad Javad Zarif represent the starkest warning offered yet by Iran in a long summer of mysterious attacks and incidents following the collapse of Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers, over a year after US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the accord.

Mr Zarif’s comments also appeared to be in response to US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who a day earlier while travelling to Saudi Arabia referred to the attack as an “act of war”.

Asked by CNN what would be the consequence of a US or Saudi strike, Mr Zarif said: “All-out war”.

It would cause “a lot of casualties”, he stressed.

“I am making a very serious statement that we don’t want to engage in a military confrontation. But we won’t blink to defend our territory.”

He added that any sanctions placed by the US on Iran after pulling out of the nuclear deal would need to be lifted before any further negotiations could be considered.

“They’ve done whatever they could and they haven’t been able to bring us to our knees,” Mr Zarif said.

Mr Pompeo has now arrived in the United Arab Emirates.

America’s top diplomat met earlier yesterday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah over Saturday’s attack on a crucial oil processing facility and oil field, which halved the kingdom’s oil production.

Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have claimed the attack, but the US alleges Iran carried out the assault.

“The US stands with #SaudiArabia and supports its right to defend itself,” Mr Pompeo tweeted. “The Iranian regime’s threatening behaviour will not be tolerated.”

Picture: Getty Images.