(UnitedVoice.com) – Iran is considered the biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world. The government provides support to militant groups that then launch attacks on the US and its allies. Recently, the country reportedly experienced an act of terrorism of its own.
On February 14, explosions hit a natural gas pipeline in Iran. Details about what happened are limited, but Al Jazeera reported one explosion occurred on the mainline route that runs from the central Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province to gas fields in the Caspian Sea. The pipeline starts in Asaluyeh and runs almost 800 miles. The second explosion happened in Fars, a southern province.
Iran’s oil minister, Javad Owji, blamed a “terrorist act of sabotage” for the pipeline explosions. He also compared the incidents to unclaimed attacks on gas pipelines in 2011. Some of those assaults took place around the anniversary of Iran’s Islamic Revolution. The 45th anniversary of the 1979 revolution took place days before the most recent explosions. Owji stated the country’s enemies wanted to “cut the gas in the major provinces” in 2011 but failed.
Saeed Aghili, the manager of the country’s gas network control center, said officials “hope the pipeline will be repaired and will become operational as soon as possible.” He did not give an exact timeline.
Iranian officials didn’t place blame on a specific person or country for the pipeline attacks. However, they have blamed Israel for similar acts in the past. The explosions come at a time of heightened tensions because of the Israeli war against Hamas.
Further, the Iranian government faces accusations that it sent money to militant groups that are attacking bases housing American troops in Iraq, Syria, and Jordan. One of those strikes killed three US soldiers and led Republican lawmakers in Washington to call on the Pentagon to launch retaliatory strikes in Iran. Tehran has claimed it had nothing to do with those strikes.
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