Iran has resumed natural gas production at three offshore platforms in the South Pars field, according to a statement by the head of the Pars Oil and Gas Company to state media. The platforms were among the infrastructure targeted by Israeli strikes in March.
Pars Oil and Gas Company CEO Touraj Dehqani said Sunday (local time) that the three platforms had not been damaged in the attacks, as reported by the IRNA news agency. Dehqani added that output from these platforms is now being diverted to other processing plants in the area, while repairs continue at damaged facilities.
Israel launched airstrikes on the South Pars field — part of the world’s largest natural gas deposit — in mid-March. The move prompted Iran to retaliate with missiles and drones targeting energy infrastructure across the wider region. Additionally, Israel struck Iran’s largest petrochemical complex, the South Pars petrochemical hub, in the coastal area of Asaluyeh in early April.
Al Jazeera correspondent Tohid Asadi reported from the capital Tehran that the resumption of gas production at South Pars is “significant both symbolically and practically” for Iran. “Iran is trying to send the message that it is seeking to rebuild the targeted facilities,” he said, also noting that U.S.-Israeli airstrikes have hit several other Iranian infrastructure sites, including oil depots in the capital. “When we talk about South Pars, we are talking about one of the country’s most important energy facilities. The reopening is certainly an important step. However, we have to wait and see whether Iran succeeds in exporting energy.”
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump maintains a blockade of Iranian ports as part of a pressure campaign to force Tehran to agree to end the war. Talks between Washington and Tehran continue, but Iran’s lead negotiator said Sunday that Tehran will not agree to any deal with the U.S. unless it fully guarantees Iran’s rights.
The South Pars gas field, located off the coast of Bushehr province in southern Iran, is the country’s largest domestic energy source, which often struggles to produce enough electricity. Covering an area of 9,700 square kilometers, the field is shared between Iran and Qatar, with Iran’s portion called South Pars and Qatar’s part called North Field.
