Iran accuses Israel of being behind for 'plot' against gas pipelines

DUBAI - Israel was behind last week's attack on Iranian gas pipelines, Iran's Oil Minister Javad Owji said on Wednesday according to semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Two explosions hit Iran's main south-north gas pipeline network on February 14 and were initially described by Owji as a "terrorist act of sabotage", without naming any suspects.

"The enemy intended to disrupt households' gas supplies ... but within two hours our colleagues worked to counter the Israeli plot which only damaged several pipes," Owji said on Wednesday.

In December, a hacking group that Iran accuses of having links to Israel claimed it carried out a cyber-attack which disrupted as much as 70% of Iran's petrol stations.