European nations blame Iran for Saudi oil attack

Despite denials from Iran, leaders from Britain, France, and Germany accused the country of orchestrating the Sept. 14 drone attacks on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. In a joint statement Monday, the leaders warned Iran to stop breaching the 2015 nuclear deal. The attacks temporarily halted production at a major processing plant near Buqayq, Saudi Arabia. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif denied the accusations and retorted that “if Iran were behind this attack, nothing would have been left of this refinery.”

What does this mean for peace in the region? The statement reaffirmed support for the nuclear deal that started to crumble after the United States withdrew last year. On Sunday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his nation will work with the United States and Europe to “construct a response that tries to de-escalate tensions in the Gulf region.”

Dig deeper: Read my report in World Tour about the humanitarian crisis caused by Yemen’s civil war.