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Iran awaits quick response on pipeline project

TEHRAN: After addressing New Delhi’s economic and security concerns, Tehran awaits its quick response to expedite the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project.

In an exclusive interview to The Hindu here, Vice-President S. Rahim Mashaee said: “The Indian side has said it is willing to pursue the case, but the time frame is very important to expedite and finalise the project at the earliest.”

Mr. Mashaee, who heads an apex committee on the project, said Tehran had addressed all major concerns raised by New Delhi in a non-paper, which was handed over to the Iranian side during President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to India on April 29. “Among the concerns raised, the point at which Iran has to deliver gas to India was the most important issue. The President has agreed that the gas should be delivered at India’s border with Pakistan.”

Mr. Mashaee pointed out that Iran would prefer to extend the pipeline later to China through an Indian transit corridor. This, move, he said, would benefit India by generating a transit fee. However, if India, for some reason did not prioritise the project, “the issue of gas pipeline transiting from Pakistan and China will come into play.”

Mr. Mashaee said the “enemies” of the project should not be allowed to “influence our decisions.”

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