Multi-billion-dollar 2,775-kilometer IPI (Iran-Pakistan-India) pipeline project has moved ahead with all the three parties involved have consented for it. The project, which US never wanted to come into existence according to Iranian press will be executed soon. A Pakistan delegation soon will visit Tehran to further the dialogue. Earlier, Pakistan had insisted that even if India backs off it will stay in the project.

 

Incidentally, US has been hyper critic of the project, and it has asked both Islamabad and New Delhi to be away from any deal with Iran. Last month only, the U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman had warned Pakistan that that the gas pipeline project is not acceptable while the nuclear argument between Iran and the U.S. is still on.

 

On the other hand, Pakistani media has reported that Pakistan is not bothered about US's thinking on the Iranian gas pipeline deal. The ambitious project is crucial for both energy starving countries (India and Pakistan). The project once completed will transfer 60 million cubic meters of natural gas per day from Iran to Pakistan and India.