Following this weekend's escalation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, in which both sides managed to infuriate each other to a degree that brought diplomatic relations between the two to levels not seen since 1980, one thing was certain: the escalation has only just begun; after all, there is no point in severing diplomatic ties with Iran, and thus thrusting OPEC into complete chaos, if Iran does not at least curb its production on its own, one way or another.
Moments ago, we got confirmation of just this escalation when according to Alriyadh.com, a bus belonging to Saudi Aramco was torched in a "terrorist assault" by “four armed rioters” in the country's unrest-filled Qatif region.
From Alriyadh, google translated [6]:
East Police: Bus one of the companies assaulted by four people
Riyadh - SPA
Media spokesman for the Police Eastern Region, said that when the fourth quarter pm Tuesday afternoon 03/25/1437, hit a bus, designated for transportation of employees and workers of a company to the towns and districts of the province of Qatif, assaulted by four (4) people of rioters armed, and when they pass one of the residential neighborhoods of the town of Qudayh, where they Bastiagafha at gunpoint, and setting fire to them.
He added that the security authorities embarked on crime and managed to control the fire, and did not result in injury and thankfully one any harm, as specialists began the police in the criminal investigation of this terrorist attack and investigation procedures.
[7]
Will this major escalation be swept away, or will Saudi authorities blame it all on terrorist Shi'ites, then promptly find a "link" to Iran instigators, which they will then use to escalate what has so far been mostly a war of words into something more tangible? Keep an eye on oil prices for the answer.
