Iranian sources say attack on Saudi oil plants planned in Tehran: Reuters

Initial list of potential targets for strike said to have included a US military base and an airport

September's attacks on the key Saudi Aramco facilities in Khurais were planned in Tehran and executed from Iranian soil, Reuters reported on Monday.

Importantly, the report is based on accounts from Iranian officials with knowledge on the matter, the agency says while stipulating that it has been unable to verify it with a third party.

According to Reuters's sources, the strike on the Aramco oil plant was meticulously planned during the four months of secret meetings ahead of the September 14 strike.

Those present at the gatherings at a compound in south Tehran reportedly included, at different times, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Major General Hossein Salami and Khamenei’s military advisor Yahya Rahim-Safavi.

Aiming to punish the US for crippling sanctions slapped on Tehran, Iranian military leaders reportedly sought to send a message to Washington, showing its advanced military capabilities.

The initial list of potential targets is said to have also included an American military base and an airport, but Tehran eventually decided against a direct attack on Americans.

The prospect of mass casualties seemed troubling, with Iran wary of a potential US retaliation that could also prompt Israel to attack. 

Thus, Tehran's military eventually opted for the Aramco facilities and went ahead with the plan, triggering yet another uptick of Gulf tensions and sending shockwaves through the global oil market.