IRAN/MIKE POMPEO/OIL/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The United States said on Thursday [9-19-19] it was building a coalition to deter Iranian threats following a weekend attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities. Iran has warned U.S. President Donald Trump against being dragged into a war in the Middle East and said it would meet any offensive action with a crushing response. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Trump, who has ordered more sanctions on Iran, wants a peaceful solution to the crisis. He was speaking after talks with Saudi and Emirati leaders over the strike that Washington and Riyadh have blamed on Tehran. Iran denies involvement in the Sept. 14 attack that initially halved Saudi oil output and which Pompeo earlier called an ‘act of war’ against the world’s largest oil exporter. Pompeo appeared to soften his tone on Thursday after talks with Abu Dhabi’s crown prince, the de facto ruler of the United Arab Emirates, which is Riyadh’s main Arab ally.”
–Tuqa Khalid, Aziz El Yaakoubi, “U.S. building coalition after Saudi oil attack, Iran warns against war,” Reuters, September 19, 2019 1:36 am