Iran denies involvement in drone attack targeting Saudi oil facilities

Iran has denied any involvement in a drone attack targeting Saudi Arabia after Riyadh accused Iran-linked groups operating from Iraq of launching the assault on the kingdom's oil infrastructure.

According to Russian media, a senior Iranian military source, quoted by the state broadcaster on July 29, said Tehran had "absolutely no connection" to projectiles fired from other countries at targets in Saudi Arabia.

The source also rejected allegations linking Iran to attacks against US interests in the region, calling such accusations "a serious miscalculation" based on a misunderstanding of the situation.

The denial came after Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defence said its air defence forces intercepted and destroyed several drones launched from Iraqi territory. According to the ministry, the drones were aimed at oil facilities in the kingdom's Eastern Province.

Saudi Defence Ministry spokesman Brigadier General Turki Al-Maliki described the incident as another "terrorist attempt" originating from Iraq and blamed groups "linked to Iran". He warned that Saudi Arabia "reserves the right to respond at a time and place of its choosing."

Following the attack, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American and Saudi forces carried out strikes against what it described as Iran-backed "terrorist" targets in Iraq.

By Aghakazim Guliyev