Iran hopes gas pipeline to Pakistan becomes operational by 2013
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that the natural gas pipeline linking Iran to Pakistan will hopefully become operational by 2013, the English language satellite Press TV reported on Sunday.
The Iranian president said that the construction of the natural gas pipeline, stretching from Iran's South Pars gas field to Pakistan, is underway, said the report.
The long-awaited pipeline would hopefully become operational by the end of 2012, he added.
According to the report, Iran plans to export up to 21 million cubic meters of natural gas to Pakistan annually through the multi- billion-dollar pipeline.
The level of trade between Tehran and Islamabad should hit one billion U.S. dollars in the near future, he was quoted as saying.
The Pakistani president proposed that financial transactions between Iran and Pakistan be conducted in the two countries' currencies rather than the U.S. dollar, saying this would help decrease smuggling and improve trade ties, according to Press TV.
The two presidents also discussed the plan to transfer electricity from Iran to Pakistan. Zardari arrived here in Tehran on Saturday as the head of a high-ranking delegation for talks.
Excellant news unlike indians which caved under american pressure for once our politicos didnt. We need to do more of this and do deals with neighbours and have good relations with neighbours and not to follow US ulterior motives.