DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Iran experienced a series of explosions on a natural gas pipeline, which were attributed to “sabotage and terrorist action” by an official. The incident took place as tensions remained high in the Middle East amid Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The targeted natural gas pipeline runs from Iran’s western Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province up north to cities on the Caspian Sea. This pipeline, which spans roughly 1,270 kilometers, begins in Asaluyeh, a hub for Iran’s offshore South Pars gas field.
Iran’s gas network control center manager, Saeed Aghli, pinpointed the cause of the explosions to be a “sabotage and terrorist” action affecting several areas of the pipeline. It’s worth noting that there are no known insurgent groups operating in that particular province, which is home to the Bakhtiari, a branch of Iran’s Lur ethnic group. Aghli did not name any suspects in the blasts.
Iran’s Oil Minister Javad Owji, speaking to state TV, compared the attack to a series of unclaimed assaults on gas pipelines in 2011, which coincided with the anniversary of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. He assured that the attack did not disrupt gas supplies to major provinces, only affecting a few villages near the gas transmission lines.
Historically, Arab separatists in southwestern Iran have claimed attacks against oil pipelines, but such attacks on infrastructure elsewhere in Iran are rare. However, tensions have been rising in recent years as Iran faces an economy crippled by international sanctions over its nuclear program.
The incident comes amid increasing international concern over Iran’s transparency in its nuclear program. This concern was raised further by the head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, who warned that Iran is “not entirely transparent” regarding its atomic program. It is evident that Iran’s internal and external tensions are contributing to a complex and volatile situation in the region.