Pipeline Blast in Turkey Disrupts Iranian Gas Supply
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - A pipeline carrying gas from Iran to Turkey was blown up on the Turkish territory a few kilometers past Bazargan border crossing, interrupting the gas exports temporarily, an Iranian Interior Ministry official said.
The blast occurred on Thursday night, hitting the gas pipeline 12 kilometers into the Turkish soil near the northwestern Bazargan border crossing, in the eastern extremity of Turkey, Majid Aqababaei, a senior official for border affairs at the Iranian Interior Ministry told Tasnim.
He blamed the explosion on the groups clashing with the Ankara government, saying it has temporarily cut gas exports to Turkey.
Last month, Turkey removed tens of mayors in eastern regions accused of links to PKK militants, replacing them with state-appointed trustees in a major shake-up under emergency powers enacted after a failed coup in July.
The autonomy-seeking PKK has abandoned a two-year ceasefire, reigniting a conflict that has claimed more than 40,000 lives since 1984.
The government has accused the PKK of a series of attacks in the southeast of Turkey in recent weeks.
