The Obama Administration, which is aggressively working with its international partners at the UN Security Council to slap additional sanctions against Iran, has said that it is opposed to the gas pipeline deal Islamabad inked with Tehran.
“Our concerns about the government of Iran are very well known. Given its current unwillingness to address its international obligations and international concerns about its nuclear program, we don’t think that this is the time for such transactions to be taking place with Iran,” the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Robert Blake, said.
“People have been talking about this pipeline for a long time, but I think there continue to be many challenges, and to actually building the pipeline,” Blake said in response to a question, adding that the US has encouraged Pakistan to try to seek alternatives.
“This is a very sensitive time in negotiations with Iran, and we would prefer that all countries not conduct such transactions with Iran at this time,” Mr. Blake told reporters at a news conference held at the Foreign Press Centre here yesterday.
In his interaction with journalists, Mr. Blake said the Obama administration is strongly committed to fulfilling the civil nuclear deal with India.
“In all of our conversations with the Indian government, they have consistently said that they remain committed to fulfilling this commitment under the civil nuclear deal, to pass civil liability legislation,” Mr. Blake said in response to a question.
“I think the opposition in India has recently expressed its objections to aspects of that legislation, so it will be up to the government of India to figure out how to move forward on this. But again, they’ve always said to us that they remain committed to moving that legislation,” he said.
