Iran Begins Restoring Oil and Gas Facilities Damaged by Attacks

Tehran (ANTARA) - Iran has begun restoring its oil and gas facilities damaged as a result of the conflict with the United States and Israel, according to local officials. “During the 40-day war, the oil facilities suffered damage and attacks. The top priority is to restore them as quickly as possible, and the process is going well so far,” Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad told the national broadcaster. Director of the National Iranian Gas Company, Saeed Tavakoli, added that four gas processing stations in the South Pars field were also damaged during the conflict with the US and Israel. On 28 February, the United States, along with Israel, launched attacks on targets in Iran, causing damage and civilian casualties. On 7 April, Washington and Tehran announced a two-week ceasefire. However, follow-up talks in Islamabad ended without agreement, prompting Trump to extend the halt in fighting to give Iran time to prepare a “comprehensive proposal.” The tensions nearly halted traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for oil and liquefied natural gas from Persian Gulf countries to global markets, which drove up energy prices. On Sunday evening, Trump announced Operation Project Freedom to help ships trapped in the Strait of Hormuz to exit. However, on Tuesday, he stated that he would temporarily postpone the operation to see if a peace agreement with Iran could be reached.