Attack on key Saudi pipeline is blamed on Iran-backed militias in Iraq

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s government raced Saturday to contain the fallout after Iran -backed militias were accused of attacking a key Saudi oil pipeline, shutting down the top global oil producer’s alternative to the Iranian-threatened Strait of Hormuz.

Though an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias in Iraq denied their involvement, Iraq’s government confirmed the attacks had originated from its territory, pledged to investigate and dismissed two senior officials.

The attack on Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline came as the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen put further pressure on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, through which around 12% of global trade passes, as part of the rebels’ targeting neighboring Saudi Arabia and its shipping.

Regional officials have told The Associated Press that the Houthis and the Iraqi militias recently coordinated attacks on Saudi Arabia.

As the events threaten even higher global oil prices after six months of war, U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was “probably” responsible for the pipeline attack, but tried to calm concerns.

“The Houthis called us, and they don’t want to fight with us,” Trump said. “They would much prefer not having us involved, and they’re letting most ships go through.” He said his administration has had “discussions” with the Houthis, but neither he nor the White House said when those occurred. His administration engaged in at least one round of talks in May 2025.

“We are not in war with Saudi Arabia, and the Houthis have their own problems,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told India Today TV on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in India.

Iraq to investigate attack on Saudi pipeline

A group of Iran-backed militias in Iraq denied they were responsible for the attacks on the Saudi pipeline, while praising the Houthis for their “ongoing battlefield victories against Saudi forces.”

The statement said they would cooperate with the Iraqi government’s investigation.

Iraq is under mounting pressure to prevent local militias from aiding Iran proxy groups. The Iraqi government has set a Sept. 30 deadline for nonstate groups to disarm, but several of the most powerful militias have said they will not comply, including the Iran-backed ones.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said he had ordered an investigation into the operations command of Maysan province, along the border with Iran, and dismissed the province’s commander. His office later said the provincial police chief was also dismissed.

Saudi Arabia shut down the cross-country oil pipeline on Friday, saying it was a “precautionary measure” after the pipeline came under drone attack the day before. It blamed the attacks on several drones that came from Iraq but said the kingdom would not retaliate, to give the Iraqi government “an opportunity to take the necessary measures.”

Several Arab countries including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Egypt, condemned the attack, according to the Saudi state news agency.

Built in the 1980s, the East-West pipeline has played an important role in Saudi Arabia’s ability to export oil following this year’s disruption of the Strait of Hormuz. By early June, Saudi Arabia had more than doubled oil exports from the Red Sea port at the pipeline’s end to more than 5 million barrels per day, according to the International Energy Agency.

Iran-backed Iraqi militias have carried out strikes on U.S.-linked targets both inside and outside Iraq since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28.

Saudi Arabia and the United States bombed Iranian-backed militias in Iraq in July after blaming them for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities that had been claimed by the Houthis. Regional officials told the AP that the Houthis helped the militias plan and execute the attacks.

Meanwhile, in a decision possibly linked to the investigation of the pipeline attack, Iraq closed two key border crossings with Iran, Iraq’s state-run news agency reported.

Valiollah Hayati, deputy governor of Iran’s southwestern Khuzestan province, said Shalamcheh and Chazabeh crossings were closed.

Diplomacy continues in a tense region

Iran has said a regional meeting is planned Monday between Iran and other Gulf countries about talks between Tehran and Oman — located on the other side of the Strait of Hormuz — on managing shipping there.

Commercial ship traffic remains low on what had been considered an international waterway before the war. Iran has expressed interest in having ships pay fees for transit. It has said traffic into the Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Oman would pass entirely through Iranian waters, while the outbound route would pass partly through Iranian waters and partly through Oman’s territorial waters.

“The waterway would be opened up on the condition that the U.S. will terminate its blockade,” Iran’s president said in his interview with the Indian broadcaster.

Bahrain on Saturday, however, said it will not attend any group meeting including Iran before the restoration of diplomatic relations between the countries.

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Jill Lawless and Darlene Superville in Dublin contributed to this report.