(MENAFN) In the early hours of Wednesday, Iran experienced explosions along a natural gas pipeline, with an official attributing the blasts to acts of sabotage and terrorism within the country. The incident occurred amidst heightened tensions in the Middle East, particularly with Israel's ongoing conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The affected pipeline extends from Iran's western Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, traversing northward to cities along the Caspian Sea, covering a distance of approximately 1,270 kilometers (790 miles). Originating in Asaluyeh, a significant hub for Iran's offshore South Pars gas field, the pipeline serves as a crucial component of the nation's energy infrastructure.
Saeed Aghli, the manager of Iran's gas network control center, confirmed on Iranian state television that the explosions were the result of deliberate sabotage and terrorist actions along multiple sections of the pipeline. Notably, the province where the incidents occurred, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, is not known to harbor insurgent groups, making the motive behind the attacks unclear. Aghli refrained from identifying any specific suspects responsible for the blasts, leaving the investigation ongoing.
Iran's Oil Minister, Javad Owji, echoed Aghli's sentiments during a separate interview with state TV, likening the recent attack to previous instances of unclaimed assaults on gas pipelines in 2011, coinciding with significant dates in Iran's history, such as the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Owji emphasized that while the assailants aimed to disrupt gas supplies in major provinces, their efforts were thwarted, with only a limited number of villages near the transmission lines experiencing disruptions. Notably, attacks on Iran's energy infrastructure beyond the southwestern region, where Arab separatists have previously claimed responsibility, are relatively uncommon, further complicating the circumstances surrounding this latest incident.
As investigations into the explosions progress, Iranian authorities remain vigilant in identifying the perpetrators and safeguarding the nation's vital energy infrastructure against future threats.
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