Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline inaugurated

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have today inaugurated a long delayed gas pipeline between the two countries. Work on the Iranian side of this new pipeline is nearly complete with the start of the construction of the Pakistani side beginning today.

Referred to as the "peace pipeline" the project has been on the drawing board in one form or another since talks about such a project began in 1994. Initially the Iranians wanted a gas pipeline to India but the Indians pulled out of negotiations in 2009 not long after it went into a nuclear deal with the United States.

The United States is against the project stating it would enable Iran to sell gas which would in turn serve to undermine sanctions which they impose under the pretext of pressuring Iran over its nuclear program. The United States suggests an alternative energy policy to help Pakistan meet its energy requirements. This would envision the importation of gas to that country from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan. A plan that has also been on the drawing board for years now.

Zardari in Tehran

Khamenei Tells Zardari IP Pipeline Must Advance 

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday urged the visiting President Asif Ali Zardari to press ahead with a much-delayed $7.5 billion Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project despite U.S. opposition, The News of Pakistan reported today.

“The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline is an important example of Tehran-Islamabad cooperation, and despite hostilities towards the expansion of ties we must overcome this opposition decisively,” Khamenei told Zardari. (The News, 27 February)

“Accessing safe energy source is the first priority for any country including Pakistan. In this region, the Islamic republic is the only nation that has safe energy resources and we are ready to provide Pakistan its energy needs,” Khamenei added.

Zardari also met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Photo credit: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (right) and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. Leadership House, Tehran. 27 February (The News)

Zardari Cancels Iran Visit

Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline at Issue

A planned visit to Tehran by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to seal a $1.5 billion Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline deal was unexpectedly cancelled on Friday amid mounting U.S. objections to the contract. (Financial Times, 9 December)

Iran has offered Pakistan $500 million to finance the long-delayed gas pipeline.

“It’s a feasible project for Pakistan. It’s the quickest route, the cheapest route where we can fulfill our energy needs,” said Asim Hussain, chief natural resources advisor to Mr Zardari. “But we are (concerned) about the sanctions. (Banking) transactions with Iran is a problem.”

The U.S. is pushing an alternative gas route known as Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline.

File photo: IRNA

Zardari Arrives in Tehran

Khamenei Calls US the “Enemy” of Pakistan

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari arrived in Tehran on Saturday for talks with Iranian officials. During a meeting with the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, the Iranian leader said the US is Pakistan’s “real enemy,” [IRNA, 16 July]. The US-Pakistan relationship has been on a downward spiral since the 2 May US raid that killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.


Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a meeting with Zardari called for stronger bilateral ties between the two countries. He highlighted the work underway to construct a natural gas pipeline linking Iran’s southern gas fields to Pakistan’s pipeline grid.