Attack Halts Turkey-Iran Pipeline, Gas To Flow “Soon”

A natural gas pipeline connecting Turkey and Iran has been halted after an attack in Turkey’s Agri province for which the local government blamed the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). 

"An explosion occurred as a result of sabotage about 15 kilometres inside the Turkish border on the Turkey-Iran gas pipeline," Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said in a note released on Monday night.

Turkish news agency Anadolu wrote that the blaze at the pipeline was shortly extinguished and that natural gas will flow again after repairs. 

Tehran increased gas deliveries to Turkey by 1 bcm in 2014. After Russia (27 bcm), Iran is Turkey’s second main supplier of natural gas with about 10 bcm a year. 

Reuters wrote that Turkey had not requested additional gas from other countries as a result of the explosion as there was no shortage in meeting domestic demand. 

Last week, Turkey’s air force attacked Islamic State (IS) positions in Syria and Kurdish PKK militants in northern Iraq.