For years, the pipeline has been blown up once or twice a year. It isn’t difficult to fix and is usually back in service in a matter of days.
The last previous explosion occurred June 28. It was back in service after less than five days.
The latest attack cut the pipeline 50 kilometers inside Turkey at 5 a.m. October 8, No group has yet claimed responsibility.
Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi, meanwhile, claimed that during a visit he made to Turkey, the Turks indicated they were eager to buy more Iranian gas.
But that isn’t what the Turkish media have been saying. For months, Turkish news reports have said Turkish officials want to get out from under their gas contract with Iran because the price is so high.
The Turkish daily Zaman reported that Iran unilaterally boosted the price a few months ago even though Turkey was already complaining loudly that the old price was far too high.
Zaman said the new price was $524 per thousand cubic meters.
Zaman said Turkey had been paying $423 for Iranian gas, $418 for Russian gas and $282 for Azerbaijani gas.
