Iran has stopped gas supplies to Turkey

Iran has fully stopped gas supplies to Turkey, reports Iranian news agency IRNA, citing Majid Bujazarde, representative of Iran's national gas company.

In his words Iran has stopped the gas supplies upon Turkey's demand that followed an explosion on the pipeline in Turkey's territory.

The Iranian side says it can immediately resume the supplies as soon as the Turkish side repairs the damaged part of the pipeline.
Later Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz said that gas supply to Turkey will be resumed in 7-8 days' time.

On Tuesday evening a heavy blast damaged the gas pipeline, transporting natural gas from Iran to Turkey in the vicinities of Eleshkirt in the Turkish province of Agri. The Iranian gas supply to Turkey was suspended as a result of the blast.

"Gas from Azerbaijan and Russia fully satisfies Turkey's needs," Yildiz said.

This comes as the second blast on this pipeline in the recent two months. Another explosion occurred in July and the gas supplies resumed only 10 days after the explosion.