Iran hopes to complete “TAPI” pipeline with Pakistan
Chief Executive of the National Iranian Gas Export Company (NIGEC) Mehran Amirmoeini said to ILNA news agency that if the United States has not imposed sanctions on Iran, Pakistan would quickly launch a gas project from Iran.
“US economic sanctions on Iran have overshadowed the project. Pakistan says that due to the restrictions, it cannot finance the construction of the pipeline on its territory. We insist that the sanctions are not a big obstacle and they can do it,” he said.
He added that if the issues are not resolved between Afghanistan, India and Pakistan, the “TAPI” will remain on paper.
The Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India Pipeline (TAPI), also known as Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline, is a natural gas pipeline being developed by the Galkynysh – TAPI Pipeline Company Limited with participation of the Asian Development Bank.
The pipeline will transport natural gas from the Galkynysh Gas Field in Turkmenistan through Afghanistan into Pakistan and then to India.
Amirmoeini said we are in the process of negotiating to encourage Islamabad to invest and build pipelines.
Following the contract signed between Iran and Pakistan in 1999 to complete a gas pipeline to help address Pakistan’s electricity problems, Tehran has fulfilled its commitments regarding construction of the pipeline inside Iranian territory.
But Islamabad has failed to implement execute its share, and negotiations are underway to convince Pakistan to get the job done, managing director of the National Iranian Gas Export Company said.
The US resanctioned Iran’s oil industry and banks last year after President Donald Trump abandoned the landmark international nuclear deal signed by Iran and six world powers.
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