The Saudi Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, stressed the need for the world to take a firm and deterrent stance towards Iran, otherwise we will see a further escalation, threatening the interests of the world, and disruption of energy supplies, and oil prices will reach fictional figures. We see it in our lives, but he considered "a political and peaceful solution much better than a military solution." He stressed in an interview with the program «60 minutes», broadcast by the US channel «CBS», the evening of yesterday, and quoted the newspaper «Middle East», that the targeting of two oil facilities belonging to the company «Saudi Aramco», last month, is «strategic folly», He pointed out that if Iran stopped supporting the Houthi militias, the political solution to the Yemeni crisis would be much easier.

In detail, Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that the attack on Aramco not only hit the heart of the Saudi energy sector, but hit the heart of the global energy sector, and this strike disrupted nearly 5.5% of the world's energy needs, including the need of America, China and the world at large.

"Saudi Arabia is almost the size of a continent. It is bigger than all of Western Europe and has 360-degree threats; all this is difficult to cover completely."

Asked about the strategic reason Iran was hitting Aramco, the Saudi crown prince said: "I think it is folly. There is no strategic objective. Only a fool is attacking 5% of the world's supplies. The strategic objective is only to prove that they are fools. This is what they have done."

Regarding his acceptance, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described what Iran had done as a "war action," Prince Mohammed bin Salman said: "No doubt, yes."

On the impact of a war between Saudi Arabia and Iran in the region, the Crown Prince said: «The region accounts for about 30% of the world's energy supply, and constitutes about 20% of the global trade crossings, and constitutes almost 4% of global GDP. Imagine that these three things stand; this means the collapse of the entire world economy, not just Saudi Arabia or the Middle East. If the world does not take a firm deterrent to Iran, we will see a further escalation, the interests of the world will be threatened, energy supplies will be disrupted, and oil prices will reach Fictional numbers we have not seen in our lives », hoping that the response will not be military, because a political and peaceful solution is much better than a military solution.

On the possibility of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani, to formulate a new deal, said the Saudi Crown Prince: «Undoubtedly this is what President Trump is asking, and this is what we all ask. "The Iranians don't want to sit at the table."

The Saudi crown prince said that if Iran stopped its support for the Houthi militias in Yemen, the political solution would be much easier, adding: «Today we open all initiatives for a political solution inside Yemen, and we hope that this day before tomorrow».

"We are doing this every day, but we are trying to reflect this discussion on the ground, and the Houthis announced a few days ago a ceasefire from them, which we regard as a positive gesture to take a new step forward, to push the political debate forward," he said of the negotiations to end the war in Yemen. "As a leader, I have to be optimistic every day. I can't be pessimistic." "If I am pessimistic, I have to leave the chair and work somewhere else."

As for the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi crown prince said that he undoubtedly did not order his death, adding: "This was a heinous crime. But I take full responsibility as a leader in Saudi Arabia, especially as it happened from Saudi officials working for the Saudi government. ”

“When a Saudi citizen has committed a crime by Saudi government employees, I have to take responsibility as a leader. "What happened was a mistake, and I have to take all measures to avoid anything like this happening in the future."

"Some people think I should be aware of what three million people work for the Saudi government every day," he said. "It is impossible for the three million to report daily to the leader in Saudi Arabia, or the second highest man in the Saudi government."

He pointed out that «investigations are ongoing today, and once proven the charge against any person, regardless of his position, will be referred to the court without any exception».

In response to a question about the lessons he learned and did he make mistakes? Prince Mohammed bin Salman said: «Prophets have sinned, how can we? But what is important if we make a mistake is to learn from our mistakes, and make sure that they will not be repeated. ”

Saudi Crown Prince:

"If the world does not take a firm deterrent to Iran, we will see a further escalation, and the interests of the world will be threatened."

"If Iran stopped supporting Houthi militias, the political solution to the Yemeni crisis would be much easier."