Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet session, the minister added the enemy’s goal of cutting off gas in Iran’s large provinces will not be achieved and the targeted lines will become operational by this afternoon.

Earlier in the day, Saeid Aqli, the dispatching director of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) said the “sabotage and terrorist act” occurred at around 1 a.m. local time on Wednesday (2130 GMT Tuesday), hitting the lines in Borujen, western province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, and Safa-Shahr, southern province of Fars.

Owji said, “Given the recent developments in the region and huge 22 Bahman (11 February) rallies [held across Iran to mark the 45th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution's victory], we were ready for possible terrorist acts of enemies and fully prepared to act quickly in case of sabotaging the oil and gas pipelines.”

Teams from the National Iranian Gas Company rushed to the explosion sites immediately, said Owji, adding no casualties were reported.