US Secretary of State Pompeo to travel to Jeddah and Abu Dhabi
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, to discuss the
recent attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities and coordinate on efforts toward
countering Iranian aggression in the region, the State Department said in a
statement.
“The Secretary will begin his trip in Jeddah,
arriving September 18. He will meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
to discuss the recent attack on the Kingdom’s oil facilities and coordinate
efforts to counter Iranian aggression in the region,” the statement read.
“The Secretary will then travel to Abu Dhabi to meet
with UAE Prince Mohammed bin Zayed to discuss regional and bilateral issues,”
the statement added.
Over the weekend, drones attacked Saudi Arabian oil
facilities – including the world’s largest, Abqaiq. The attacks have taken 5.7
million (crude) barrels per day off the market, accounting for about six
percent of global supply.
A senior US official told CBS News on Tuesday that
they have reason to believe that a combination of drones and cruise missiles
were launched from southern Iran.
Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin
Salman said at a much-anticipated press conference in Jeddah on Tuesday that
the Kingdom has returned its oil supplies to levels comparable prior to
Saturday’s attacks on the Kingdom’s oil installations.
