Iran Could Use Gas Pipeline to Pakistan for Other Purposes

Tehran could find another use for a gas pipeline that was due to supply gas to Pakistan, Iran's outgoing Deputy Oil Minister Ali Majedi said.

Construction of Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline has stuck as Pakistan has not been able to build the section of pipeline on its land due to pressure from US. Iran on the other hand has completed its section of the pipeline.

Majedi, who is leaving his post to become the Iranian envoy to Germany, told the Oil Ministry's news website Shana that the pipeline could still be used.

"The Pakistanis say incessantly that they really want to receive Iran's gas, but if they decide to forgo the project, the pipeline could be used for other purposes," he said on Sunday.

Iran has most of the 775-kilometer section of the pipeline in its territory completed. But the 900-kilometer section on the Pakistani side is not complete yet. Pakistan was slated to start getting 21 million cubic feet of natural gas per day from the project this year.

Meanwhile, some media reports say that Russia is interested in completing the IP gas pipeline.