Iran says finds new gas, after war hits energy sector

Iran announced on August 23 that it had discovered over 200 billion cubic meters of natural gas, amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East that has disrupted the country's energy sector. According to Petroleum Minister Mohsen Paknejad, the new gas reserves could potentially be extracted from a field located in southern Fars province.

The minister described the gas as "sweet," indicating it has minimal hydrogen sulfide content, which leads to reduced operating and development costs. However, Bloomberg reports that any new production from the site is likely to be years away. The energy sector in Iran has suffered significantly since joint US-Israeli strikes initiated the Middle East war in late February.

The aggressors targeted Iran's energy infrastructure, including gas production facilities and oil depots, as well as transportation routes.