Iran, Pakistan Vow To Build New Gas Pipeline

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi

The Iranian news agency IRNA reported today that Pakistani and Iranian officials have met and agreed to build a pipeline to bring natural gas from Iran to Pakistan.

The idea to build the 2,700-kilometer pipeline first came up in the 1990s but was never started due to U.S. opposition to deals including Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said after meeting with Pakistani officials that he expects the $7.6 billion pipeline to be completed by 2014.

The plan calls for some 21.5 million cubic meters of gas from Iran's South Pars gas field to be delivered to Pakistan daily.

compiled from agency reports