Dispute over Persian Gulf gas field poses early challenge to Saudi-Iranian rapprochement

By NICK EL HAJJ
Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An escalating dispute over a gas field in the Persian Gulf poses an early challenge to a Chinese-brokered agreement to reconcile regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran. Saudi Arabia and neighboring Kuwait jointly claim the offshore Al-Durra gas field. Iran says it has rights to the field, which it refers to as Arash. The two sides held talks in Iran in March but were unable to agree on a border demarcation. A spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday it will not tolerate any infringement on its rights to the field, echoing remarks by Iran’s oil minister the previous day. Last week, Kuwait’s oil minister said his country would commence drilling and production without waiting for a deal.