Iran stokes tensions over Saudi oil attack

Iran’s foreign minister on Wednesday warned of “all-out war” if Saudi Arabia retaliates for Saturday’s attack on its oil infrastructure. Iran denied involvement in the drone strikes, which temporarily halved Saudi oil production rates. Mohammad Javad Zarif told CNN that Iran “won’t blink to defend our territory” if it faces any military confrontation. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that U.S. intelligence has reason to believe Iran was behind the attack. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said an international team of experts was headed to Saudi Arabia to investigate.

Will Saudi Arabia or its allies strike back? Trump had said he was “locked and loaded” to retaliate but has so far taken a more cautious approach. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Wednesday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to discuss a coordinated response. Trump tweeted he asked the U.S. Treasury to “substantially increase” sanctions on Iran.

Dig deeper: Watch Zarif’s complete interview.