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.
