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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 22 March 2022
Saudi Arabia says it’s not responsible for high oil prices

By ISABEL DEBRE duction capability and its
Associated Press ability to fulfill its commit-
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- ments.”
ates (AP) — Saudi Arabia The international oil bench-
said on Monday that it mark Brent crude hovered
“won’t bear any respon- over $112 a barrel in trad-
sibility” for a shortage in ing Monday, up more than
global oil supplies after a 4% for the preceding ses-
fierce barrage of attacks sion. The price remained
by Yemen’s Houthi rebels below a peak of nearly
affected production in the $140 hit earlier this month,
kingdom, the world’s larg- but still some $15 a barrel
est oil exporter. more than before the Rus-
The unusually stark warning sian invasion of Ukraine.
marked a departure from The overall extent of dam-
the giant oil producer’s age at the installations
typically cautious state- remained unclear. The
ments, as Saudi officials re- Saudi Energy Ministry ac-
main aware that even their knowledged a tempo-
smallest comments can rary drop in oil output at
swing the price of oil and the 400,000-barrel-a-day
rattle global markets. Yanbu site, without elabo-
The salvo of rebel attacks rating. The government
on Saudi Arabia’s oil facili- A photographer takes pictures of the Khurais oil field during a tour for journalists, 150 km east- condemned the attacks
ties marked a serious esca- northeast of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 28, 2021. as a threat to the security
lation in the war, which Associated Press of global oil supplies “in
erupted in 2014 when the spawned the worst human- lockstep with OPEC and around the world. Gas pric- these extremely sensitive
Iran-backed Houthis seized itarian disaster in the world. other oil-producing coun- es in the U.S. topped $4.25 circumstances.” Even be-
the capital, Sanaa, and The state-run Saudi Press tries in a deal limiting pro- on Monday, according to fore Russian tanks rolled
much of the country’s Agency quoted the Saudi duction increases. Gulf auto club AAA, just below into Ukraine, global energy
north. Saudi Arabia and Foreign Ministry as saying Arab oil producers have so the historic record of $4.33 supplies were struggling to
its allies responded with a that the kingdom “declares far resisted pressure from reached earlier this month. keep pace with surging
devastating air campaign that it will not bear any re- the Biden administration to “The international com- post-pandemic demand.
to dislodge the Houthis and sponsibility for any shortage pump more crude to help munity must assume its re- The West’s punitive sanc-
restore the internationally in oil supplies to global mar- bring down oil prices that sponsibility to preserve en- tions on Moscow, among
recognized government. kets in light of the attacks have soared amid Russia’s ergy supplies,” the Saudi the world’s largest oil pro-
Seven years later, the on its oil facilities.” war on Ukraine. statement added, in order ducers and exporters, un-
conflict has turned into The announcement comes Already, gasoline pric- to deter attacks that jeop- leashed more turmoil on
a bloody stalemate and as the kingdom remains in es have hit record highs ardize “the kingdom’s pro- the market. q

Iran leader signals support for nuke talks at critical stage

By AMIR VAHDAT silent on the negotiations in the Austrian capital, and
Associated Press to restore Tehran’s nuclear it’s unclear exactly what
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s deal with world powers. His hurdles lie ahead.
supreme leader on Mon- vague but supportive com- “The essence of the issue is
day signaled support for ments signaled that Iranian to run the country in such a
Tehran’s nuclear negotia- negotiators retained politi- way that sanctions cannot
tions to secure sanctions cal space and flexibility. hit the country seriously,”
relief, a rare reference Former President Donald Khamenei said, praising
to the still-halted talks as Trump withdrew the U.S. the hard-line government
world powers near a diplo- from the nuclear accord in of President Ebrahim Raisi
matic turning point. Ayatol- 2018. President Joe Biden for boosting Iran’s trade
lah Ali Khamenei stressed promised to revive it. Pains- with its neighbors and ship-
the importance of Iranian taking talks in Vienna have ping Iranian crude abroad
economic self-sufficiency dragged on for the past despite sanctions. “There is
during a lengthy televised year. Iran, its economy another way for us to use oil
speech on the occasion of strangled, has urged sanc- revenues for the country’s In this photo released by the official website of the office of
Nowruz, the Persian New tions relief but sought to infrastructure.” the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei speaks in a televised New Year speech, in Tehran,
Year. But he quickly added: resist tough Western de- In his remarks, Khamenei Iran, Monday, March 21, 2022.
“I do not say that you mands. also weighed in on Russia’s Associated Press
should not seek to lift the Negotiations nearly war in Ukraine — echoing
sanctions. Those who are reached completion earlier some of President Vladimir tone he now uses to ad- der to arrogance, it was re-
trying and working in that this month before Moscow Putin’s talking points with- dress the West,” Khamenei sistance, it was maintaining
field, there is no problem.” demanded that its trade out ever mentioning Russia said, extolling Iran’s resis- independence.”
Khamenei, whose pro- with Iran be exempted from at all. tance to foreign interfer- Iran generally considers
nouncements are consid- Western sanctions over “You look at Ukraine, its ence and military develop- Russia an ally and feels
ered vital as he has the final Ukraine, throwing the pro- president who was ap- ment since the 1979 Islamic united with Putin’s anti-
say on all state matters in cess into disarray. Negotia- pointed by Western gov- Revolution. “The choice of American and anti-West-
Iran, has remained largely tors have yet to reconvene ernments, what a sharp our nation was not surren- ern stances.q