US and Iran should be guided by reason

Continuing to blame Iran for Saturday's attacks on two Saudi Arabian oil facilities, Washington is mulling imposing fresh sanctions on Teheran. But without foolproof evidence to support its action, the United States would put the cart before the horse if it announced new sanctions against Iran.

That the news of the US considering such a move can increase the already high tensions in the Middle East is evident in Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif raising the specter of an "all-out war", and stressing that if the US or Saudi Arabia attacked Iran, it would have to fight to its last soldier.

True, the attacks on the major Saudi facilities have shrunk the country's oil production almost by half and hiked global oil prices, sparking grave concerns over global oil supply. But the developments should prompt the US to more seriously consider the possible spillover effects of another punitive action against Iran on the regional situation and the world economy.