The Hindu Business Line : Iran gas pipeline project may be finalised by June

INDIA is hopeful of thrashing out finer details of the Iran-India land route natural gas pipeline through Pakistan by May/June, during the visit of the Petroleum Minister, Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar, to Tehran in June.

"I hope that the visit would act as a catalyst for concluding the agreement between India and Iran for sourcing gas through an on-land pipeline," Mr Aiyar told newspersons after a meeting with the Iranian Ambassador, Mr S. Zargar Yaghoubi here. Mr Aiyar will visit Iran in June on an invitation from its Petroleum Minister.

Iran will enter into two separate agreements with India and Pakistan to ensure that natural gas from Iran is delivered at the Indo-Pak border, to be injected in the Indian pipeline network. "Our proposed agreement with Iran is concerned only with the delivery of gas at India's border," he said.

A high-level delegation from Iran is coming here on February 14 to attend the `Gas buyers and sellers meet.' The delegation is also expected to discuss all issues related to the pipeline project.

Tehran has agreed for laying the Iran-India pipeline up to the Indo-Pak border, from where the Iranian gas can be injected into the country's vast pipeline network.

Iran is discussing the issue with Pakistan and India separately and is keen on a gas pipeline first to Pakistan and in the next stage up to India so that its vast gas reserves can be monitored.

Iran has already entered into an agreement to sell 7.5 million tonnes of LNG and if the over $4 billion pipeline project turns into reality, India will get huge gas supplies.

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