Iran pipeline explodes in Khuzestan region

Officials have yet to comment on the cause or damage of the explosion

Iranian technicians work in the Azadegan oilfield. The country’s energy sector is under pressure from sanctions. AP Photo

An oil pipeline has exploded in the western Khuzestan province of Iran, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Wednesday.

The blast occurred in the village of Ramshir along the road towards the city of Ahvaz to the north-west.

The agency said the pipe burst because of wear and tear. A local official from the region told state media that the accident “did not lead to any casualties,” and he said the fire had been put out.

Witnesses in Ramshir told Tasnim that the intensity of the explosion caused what felt like an earthquake through the town.

Bursting oil pipelines in the oil-rich Khuzestan region and across Iran are not uncommon.

In recent months alone there have been at least three other pipeline explosions.

Some of the explosions have been due to wear and tear and some because of the intense heat in the region during the summer months.

Iran's ageing oil infrastructure has long been cited as a safety concern. But, because of US sanctions and financial strain, many of the facilities have not been updated, repaired or properly serviced.

The cause of the previous such explosion near Ahvaz in October was never officially specified. To avoid disruptions to output, officials re-routed oil to other facilities across the region.