DUBLIN(RAHNUMA): US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Iran was probably responsible for an aerial attack on Saudi Arabia that shut down its East-West pipeline, one of the kingdom’s main routes for exporting crude while bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.
“I think they are, probably they are,” Trump told reporters in Dublin when asked if Iran was responsible for the attack on the vital oil conduit.
The US president also said that he had spoken with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom he described as a “good friend.”
Trump added that Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis had called his administration and indicated they did not want the United States to become directly involved in the conflict.
“They would much prefer not having us involved, and they’re letting most ships go through,” Trump added.
War with Iran
Trump repeated that he believed the war with Iran will end after US midterm elections in November and that oil prices will tumble once it does.
“I think very soon. I think it’ll be probably right after the mid-terms. They’re trying to hold out as long as they can to complicate the election. But I think people are wise to it,” Trump told reporters in Dublin.
“When that happens, oil prices will come tumbling down.”
He also added that everything would “work out just fine” when asked whether he could help move traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in light of fresh concerns in the region.
Trump made the remarks following talks in Dublin with his Irish counterpart Catherine Connolly during a weekend visit that’s more about a major golf tournament hosted on a course he owns on the country’s Atlantic coast.
He also met with Ireland’s Prime Minister Micheál Martin.
Trump addressed the US and Irish business leaders at the US ambassador’s official residence in Dublin before traveling to his oceanfront golf club in Doonbeg, on the other side of the country, to watch the Irish Open.
The Irish president met Trump at the end of a red carpet at her official residence. They shook hands and chatted before going inside. He emerged alone a few minutes later and saluted as an Irish Defense Forces band played the US national anthem and inspected an Irish Army honor guard.
Connolly then joined Trump outdoors to introduce the US and Irish delegations before the leaders went back inside for their closed-door talks.
Trump’s visit is the latest example of blending his official duties and personal interests.
Separately, a collection of left-leaning opposition parties, anti-military groups, pro-Palestinian organizations, environmentalists and others plan to demonstrate against Trump in Dublin on Saturday.
