Iran, Pakistan finalise gas pipeline deal without India

Iran and Pakistan have finalised a deal on USD 7.4 billion gas pipeline project without the participation of India, ending settled differences on the agreement during four-day negotiations in Tehran. The two countries have agreed to sign draft agreement and a letter of understanding by the end of October, a senior Iranian official said yesterday. The India-Pakistan-Iran talks in Tehran, which began on September 24, was not attended by India, who said it will not attend the tri-nation meetings unless transit fee issue is resolved with Islamabad.

Iran asks Pakistan to ensure IPI pipeline security

* India wants entry point at Indo-Pak border, Pakistan wants it at Pak-Iran border

By Zafar Bhutta
ISLAMABAD: Following India’s lead, Tehran has expressed serious concerns over the security situation in Pakistan and asked Islamabad to make security a part of the billion dollar Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project, sources in the Petroleum Ministry told Daily Times on Sunday.

The sources said that along with the other demands regarding the IPI project, Iran had demanded from Pakistan to include a provision on security in the Gas Sales Purchase Agreement (GSPA) for the gas pipeline project. They said that with such a provision in the IPI gas pipeline project, Tehran would be able to suspend gas supply to Pakistan in case of ‘a security incident’ in the country.