US blocking export of Iranian gas to Pakistan: Speaker

Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Ali Larijani said: “It is said that the United States is blocking completion of the Pakistani section of the IP (Iran-Pakistan) gas pipeline and does not want Iranian gas to be exported to Pakistan”.

According to ICANA, the parliament’s official website, Larijani made the remarks in a Tuesday meeting with Deputy Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan Saleem Mandviwalla on the sidelines of the 3^rd meeting of Speakers of Eurasian Countries’ Parliaments currently underway in Antalya.

During the meeting he said Iran and Pakistan had common enemies and pains, underlining the need for doing great things and promoting relations between the two neighboring countries.

Pointing out that Iran and Pakistan had more capacity to cooperate, he added, “Pakistan is a great country which makes it more necessary for carrying out greater things in it; however, some countries do not want cooperation between Iran and Pakistan to expand.

The official further touched on the long-seeking Iranian gas export to Pakistan, saying according to an agreement between the two countries, the gas pipeline had been built up to the border on the Iranian side and that gas was ready for delivery to Pakistan, “but it has been said that the United States is blocking its progress in Pakistan as it is upset with promotion of cooperation and would not want gas to be exported to Pakistan.”