Blast hits Iran-Turkey gas pipeline

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Blast hits Iran-Turkey gas pipeline

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The explosion occurred near the Bazargan border crossing, in Iran's West Azarbaijan province.

29 July,2011 04:00 pm

A blast early Friday hit a pipeline carrying natural gas from Iran to Turkey, forcing a cut in supply. The export of gas to Turkey has been temporarily halted after an explosion struck the pipeline in northwestern Iran, a spokesman of the gas company said.He said an investigation had been launched into the cause of the blast. The repair work on the pipeline was under way and expressed hope for a speedy resumption of the gas flow, he said.It is not the first time gas supplies to Turkey have been disrupted; in August 2010, the pipeline was damaged in a blast blamed on separatist armed Kurdish rebels.Iran, which has the second largest proven gas reserves in the world after Russia, exports about 30 million cubic metres of gas to Turkey annually.