Tag: Pak-Iran

  • Pakistan in position to complete Pak-Iran gas pipeline project, says Khawaja Asif

    Pakistan in position to complete Pak-Iran gas pipeline project, says Khawaja Asif

    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Monday that “Pakistan is in a position to complete the [gas] pipeline project with Iran and makes decision regarding it.” However, Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi’s visit to Pakistan is expected this month.

    “We are constructing a gas pipeline on our side from Gwadar to the Iranian border,” Asif said while speaking on Geo News’ Capital Talk programme.

    Earlier this month, The News said that Pakistan started building an 80km part of the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline. They’re working from Gwadar to a spot where they can link it to the Iranian section of the project.

  • US doesn’t support Pak-Iran gas pipeline project

    US doesn’t support Pak-Iran gas pipeline project

    State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller has stated that the United States does not want the gas pipeline project between Pakistan and Iran to continue. “We do not support this pipeline going forward,” he said.

    The State Department’s statement came right after Pakistan’s Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik hinted that Pakistan would “vigorously” present its case to seek US sanctions waiver for the pipeline.

    It is also important to highlight that a few days ago, the foreign ministry’s spokesperson said that Pakistan does not require any country’s permission to move forward with a regional project.

    “We always advise everyone that doing business with Iran runs the risk of touching upon and coming in contact with our sanctions, and would advise everyone to consider that very carefully,” said Matthew Miller.

    The project began in 2009 and to this day Pakistan has not completed any major portion of construction whereas Iran has completed 900-kilometres of pipeline. That’s also why Iran issued a third notice to Pakistan that it would approach arbitration court to seek penalties.

  • Pakistan reverses decision on US sanctions waiver for gas project

    Pakistan reverses decision on US sanctions waiver for gas project

    Pakistan is reconsidering its earlier policy of not seeking a US waiver for Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline. Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik recently said, “Pakistan will vigorously present its case and will try to seek exemption from US sanctions by presenting technical and political arguments.”

    Previously the Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, in response to a question said, “It is a segment of the pipeline which is being built inside Pakistani territory. So, we do not believe that at this point there is room for any discussion or waiver from a third party.”

    Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project has been in the works for more than a decade now. While Iran has completed the construction of 900 kilometers of pipeline on its side of the border, Pakistan has not begun construction.

    Last month, the caretaker government approved the construction of an 80 kilometers section of the gas pipeline to avoid the contractual penalties worth $7 billion.

    Iran has already extended the 180-day deadline till September 2024 to Pakistan. Iran has also told Islamabad that failing this deadline, they would move International Arbitration seeking a penalty of $18 billion.