Riyadh prefers diplomacy to war
MOHAMMAD: WORLD MUST TAKE ACTION TO DETER IRAN
World must take action to deter iran, Mohammad says
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince said in an interview aired on Sunday that war with Iran would devastate the global economy and he prefers a non-military solution to tensions with his regional rival.
“If the world does not take a strong and firm action to deter Iran, we will see further escalations that will threaten world interests,” Prince Mohammad Bin Salman told the CBS programme 60 Minutes.
“Oil supplies will be disrupted and oil prices will jump to unimaginably high numbers that we haven’t seen in our lifetimes,” the prince said.
The prince said a war between Saudi Arabia and Iran would be catastrophic for the world economy.
“The region represents about 30 per cent of the world’s energy supplies, about 20 per cent of global trade passages, about 4 per cent of the world GDP. Imagine all of these three things stop,” he said.
“This means a total collapse of the global economy.”
He said a September 14 attack on Saudi oil facilities, which his country and the US blamed on Iran, had been senseless.
“There is no strategic goal. Only a fool would attack 5 per cent of global supplies. The only strategic goal is to prove that they are stupid and that is what they did,” said the Prince.
Oil prices fell more than one per cent following his comments.
In the wide ranging interview Prince Mohammad denied that he ordered the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year calling it a “heinous crime”.
Asked if he was saying he wanted a negotiated settlement to the war in Yemen he replied: “We are doing this every day.
“But we try to turn this discussion into an actual implementation on the ground, and the Houthis — a few days ago — announced a ceasefire from their side. We consider it a positive step to push for more serious and active political dialogue.”
The Crown Prince was asked how he could trust an Al Houthi ceasefire. “As a leader I must always be optimistic every day. If I am a pessimist, I should leave my post and work somewhere else.”
He concluded the interview modestly saying that he learns from his mistakes.
“Even prophets made mistakes. So how come we, as humans, are expected to not make mistakes?” he asked.
“The important thing is that we learn from these mistakes and not repeat them.”
The region represents about 30 per cent of the world’s energy supplies, about 20 per cent of global trade passages, about 4 per cent of the world GDP. 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.”
Prince Mohammad Bin Salman | Saudi Crown Prince