Citing two Western officials and a military strategist, The New York Times claimed on Friday that the attacks had been carried out by the Tel Aviv regime.

“Israel carried out covert attacks on two major natural gas pipelines inside Iran this week, disrupting the flow of heat and cooking gas to provinces with millions of people,” the report claimed.

Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji said on Wednesday that a sabotage attack had targeted two main gas transmission pipelines in the country’s southwestern province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari as well as the southern province of Fars, causing a massive explosion and a subsequent fire.

“The enemy’s plan was to completely disrupt the flow of gas in winter to several main cities and provinces in our country,” Iran’s oil minister told Iranian media on Friday.

Owji said that the goal of the attack was to damage Iran’s energy infrastructure and stir domestic discontent.

MNA