The United States has responded to reports of threats from Iran against Saudi Arabia by saying it is concerned and will not hesitate to respond if necessary. “We are concerned about the threat image and remain in constant contact through military and secret channels with the Saudis,” the National Security Council said in a statement on Tuesday. “We will not hesitate to act to defend our interests and partners in the region.” The Wall Street Journal first reported that Saudi Arabia shared the information with the US earlier on Tuesday. Neither Saudi Arabia nor Iran have commented publicly on the matter. Iran has claimed, without providing evidence, that Saudi Arabia and other rivals are behind the anti-government protests that have continued in the country since mid-September. In October, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned Saudi Arabia to reduce coverage of protests in Iran by Farsi-language satellite news channels, including Iran International, a Saudi-backed satellite television channel based in London. “This is our last warning, because you are interfering in our internal affairs through this media,” said Lt. Gen. Hossein Salami. “You get involved in this and you know you’re vulnerable.” The heightened concerns about a possible attack on Riyadh come as the Biden administration has criticized Tehran for its crackdown on protests and condemned it for sending hundreds of drones – as well as technical support – to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine. One of the officials who confirmed the information exchange to the Wall Street Journal described it as a credible threat of an attack “soon or within 48 hours.” No US embassy or consulate in the region has issued alerts or guidance to Americans in Saudi Arabia or elsewhere in the Middle East based on the information. The officials were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Asked about reports of intelligence being shared by the Saudis, Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder said US military officials were “concerned about the threat situation in the region.” “We are in regular contact with our Saudi partners in terms of what information they may have to provide on this front,” Ryder said. “But what we’ve said in the past, and I’ll say it again, is that we will retain the right to protect and defend ourselves regardless of where our forces serve, whether in Iraq or elsewhere.” US State Department spokesman Ned Price said America was “concerned about the threat picture”, without elaborating.
Strained relationships
The latest concerns come at a time of strained relations between Riyadh and Washington after the Saudi-led OPEC+ alliance decided last month to cut oil production targets, sparking fears of higher US gasoline prices. The US and Saudi Arabia accused Iran in 2019 of being behind a major attack on eastern Saudi Arabia that halved the oil-rich kingdom’s output and sent energy prices soaring. The Iranians denied being behind the attack. The Saudis have also been hit repeatedly in recent years by drones, missiles and mortars fired by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Saudi Arabia formed a coalition to fight the Houthis in 2015 and has been criticized internationally for its airstrikes in the war, which have killed thousands of civilians. In recent weeks, the Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Iranian officials for their brutal crackdown on protesters following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September after she was arrested by Iran’s morality police. The administration has also hit Iran with sanctions for supplying drones to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine. At least 288 people were killed and 14,160 arrested during the protests, according to the group Human Rights Activists in Iran. The protests have continued, even though the feared paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has warned Iranians to stop.
