An explosion occurred on a pipeline running from Iran to Turkey that has paused the flow of gas between the two countries; It’s reported that this pipeline carries approximately 10 billion cubic meters of Iranian gas to Turkey each year.
Gas flow from Iran to Turkey came to a pause on Tuesday after an explosion occurred just inside the Turkish border near their border with Iran, which also led to fire. As of earlier today, Turkey wasn’t sure when the pipeline would be ready to re-open, but historically, an explosion like this can lead to a repair time of several days if not longer.
While the source of the explosion is currently unknown, one Turkish official stated that “The gas flow on the natural gas pipeline was cut and the fire that had started was extinguished by fire squads.” The explosion is currently being investigated while they proceed with repairs.
One Iranian official is well-convinced that the explosion came as a result of a “terrorist” attack, stating, “This morning, terrorists attacked a natural gas pipeline inside Turkey near Iran’s Bazargan border with Turkey… Flow of gas has been halted.” More than likely, if it was initiated by an individual or individuals, it was Kurdish forces in the region. The official hinted at this when he said that “The pipeline has exploded several times in the past. It is also likely that the PKK group has carried out the blast.”
