DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The tensions in the Middle East have risen as explosions struck a natural gas pipeline in Iran early Wednesday, with an official attributing the blasts to a “sabotage and terrorist action” in the country.
Details were scarce, as the explosions hit a natural gas pipeline running from Iran’s western Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province up north to cities on the Caspian Sea. The roughly 1,270-kilometer (790-mile) pipeline begins in Asaluyeh, a hub for Iran’s offshore South Pars gas field.
Saeed Aghli, the manager of Iran’s gas network control center, told Iranian state television that a “sabotage and terrorist” action caused explosions along several areas of the line. There are no known insurgent groups operating in that province, home to the Bakhtiari, a branch of Iran’s Lur ethnic group. Aghli did not name any suspects in the blasts.
In the past, attacks against infrastructure in Iran have been claimed by Arab separatists in southwestern Iran. However, attacks against such infrastructure are rare elsewhere.
Additionally, Iran has faced low-level separatist unrest from Kurds in its northwest, the Baluch in its east, and Arabs in its southwest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Tensions have risen in recent years as Iran faces an economy hobbled by international sanctions over its nuclear program. The country has faced years of mass demonstrations, most recently in 2022 over the death of Mahsa Amini after her arrest allegedly over how she wore her mandatory headscarf.
Meanwhile, Israel has carried out attacks in Iran, predominantly targeting its nuclear program. On Tuesday, the head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog warned that Iran is “not entirely transparent” regarding its atomic program, particularly after an official who once led Tehran’s program announced the Islamic Republic has all the pieces for a weapon “in our hands.”
Tensions over Iran’s nuclear program are exacerbated by attacks carried out by militias it arms in the region, such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthi rebels, which have launched attacks targeting Israel during the war in Gaza. The Houthis continue to attack commercial shipping in the region, prompting repeated airstrikes from the U.S and the United Kingdom.
The incidents come amidst high tensions in the Middle East, with various geopolitical players involved in actions that could have consequences throughout the region. The situation remains fluid and under close monitoring by international observers.
As more information becomes available, the implications of these incidents on the broader geopolitical landscape will likely become clearer. The international community will be closely watching developments to assess potential implications for regional stability and security.