Iranian Oil Minister Javad Oji announced on Wednesday that the main gas pipeline network connecting the south and north of Iran has suffered from two explosions resulting from "terrorist sabotage." Oji stated on national television, "This terrorist sabotage occurred at 1 AM today (09:30 PM GMT) in the national gas transmission network at two locations across the country." He added, "We anticipated such sabotage actions with the approaching anniversary of the Iranian revolution and quickly made changes to the (gas) transmission network to counter the enemy's aim of causing gas shortages in major regions."
The minister indicated that only the villages near the damaged pipeline were experiencing gas outages, which would be repaired later today. An official from the National Iranian Gas Company denied earlier reports claiming the incident caused gas outages for industrial and administrative facilities in some regions, explaining that the temporary gas cuts were planned in advance for maintenance operations.
Oji referred to a similar incident that occurred on February 11, 2011, which he described as an act of sabotage that led to a temporary gas outage in four different areas. Official media reported that two points in the main gas pipeline network in Iran were subjected to explosions early Wednesday morning, and local officials suspect "sabotage."
The explosions took place in central Iran in a major gas pipeline linking the south and north, putting the regions of Fars, Isfahan, and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari on high alert. Officials told national television that the explosions did not result in any injuries or disruptions to the national gas supply network. However, several Iranian media outlets reported that gas supplies would be halted to industrial and administrative facilities across the country on Wednesday.
