Natural gas flow from Iran to Turkey has been brought to a halt following a pipeline explosion believed to have been an act of sabotage.

"There was an explosion on the Iran-Turkey natural gas line about 13km from ... the border on May 26 at 12:45 am, and the supply of gas from Iran has been temporarily stopped," said Saltuk Duzyol, general manager of Botas, Turkey's state-owned pipeline company.

"The first results of the investigation show damage to a 30 meter piece of the pipeline which will need to be replaced," a Botas source revealed.

A senior Turkish military official speaking on condition of anonymity told Reuters that the explosion was the work of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebels.

Operations are currently underway to repair the pipeline in Dogubeyazit near the Iranian border.

Iran, which holds the world's second largest gas reserves after Russia, accounts for over 20 percent of Turkish natural gas imports.

MK/HGH