DUBAI: Two explosions along Iran’s main south-north gas pipeline network on Wednesday were caused by sabotage, the Iranian oil minister told state TV, without naming any suspects.

Authorities also denied reports that the incident caused gas cuts to industries and offices in some provinces, state media reported.

“This terrorist act of sabotage occurred at 1am (9.30pm GMT) on Wednesday morning in the network of national gas transmission pipelines in two regions of the country,” Minister Javad Owji said.

Only villages near the damaged pipeline were experiencing gas outages, which will be fixed later today, Owji said. Temporary restrictions had been planned ahead for maintenance, state media reported.

While such attacks are rare in Iran, separatist militants in Iran claimed in 2017 that they had blown up two oil pipelines in coordinated attacks in the country’s western Khuzestan province.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2024