Oil analyst Ellen Wald under fire for suggesting Iran “should shoot at Aramco”

“If Iran wants to hit Saudi, should shoot at Aramco in the third week of April,” American oil market commentator, analyst, and Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council Ellen Wald said, in a since-deleted Tweet.

Wald issued her comment as part of thread discussing her thoughts on the news that Saudi Aramco will increase its April oil output to 12.3 million barrels per day, up around 2.5 million barrels per day from March. The increase is part of an opening salvo in an oil market price war after talks between OPEC and Russia for a deeper supply cut fell apart last weekend.

The since deleted Tweet by Wald. (Screengrab)

The since deleted Tweet by Wald. (Screengrab)

Wald went on to delete the Tweet after receiving backlash from other Twitter users over her suggestion that Iran would do well to attack Aramco facilities in late April while the company is using its reserves to hit its new supply target.

“If #Iran wants to hit #SaudiArabia ...” offensive & wildly irresponsible given #Iran 2019 @Aramco attack @AtlanticCouncil @Forbes @Investingcom Those affiliated w her should reconsider! https://t.co/RDxysGrHV8

— Frances Townsend (@FranTownsend) March 10, 2020

Clarification not needed, you wishing for violence and harm against KSA is quite clear. True feelings fester till they slip out.

— Falahk ressan (@FalahkRessan) March 10, 2020

Aramco oil facilities in Abqaiq and Khurais were attacked by cruise missiles and drones in September last year, knocking some 5 percent of global oil output off world markets. The US, the UK, France, and Germany all blamed Iran for the attack. In February, it was revealed that some of the components used in the manufacture of the drones were Iranian-made.

“I’m not instigating violence,” Wald said in a later Tweet, replying to her original message. “I’m saying that in Sept Saudi Arabia recovered so quickly from Abqaiq attack bc it had storage & spare capacity. Less storage & spare capacity in April means harder to recover from a disruption of any kind.”