Iran s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday told the visiting Pakistani president that a much-delayed $7.5 billion gas pipeline project must go ahead despite US opposition.


The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline is an important example of Tehran-Islamabad cooperation, and despite hostilities towards the expansion of ties we must overcome this opposition decisively," Khamenei told Asif Ali Zardari, his office reported.The gas pipeline project is strongly opposed by Washington.Accessing safe energy source is the first priority for any country including Pakistan. In this region, the Islamic republic is the only nation that has safe energy resources and we are ready to provide Pakistan its energy needs," Khamenei said.

The pipeline project has run into repeated problems, including Pakistan s difficulty in finding funds and opposition to the project from Washington, which has slapped Iran with a raft of sanctions over its nuclear activities.The Pakistani media reported last year that Zardari would visit Iran in mid-December 2012, when a final agreement was to have been signed, but the visit was delayed.In 2010, Iran and Pakistan agreed that Tehran would supply between 750 million cubic feet (21 million cubic metres) and one billion cubic feet per day of natural gas by mid-2015.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told Zardari that, "building the gas pipeline between Iran and Pakistan is a great and important event, and it serves the two nations interests," the president s office reported."I believe that building this project is very beneficial for both sides and we support all the work carried out so far," Zardari said in talks his Iranian counterpart."The international and regional players have tried in vain to prevent an expansion of Iran-Pakistan ties but the people have learnt how to act against enemies of Islam," he was quoted as saying.

Islamabad has said it will pursue the project regardless of US pressure, saying the gas is needed to help Pakistan overcome its energy crisis that has led to debilitating blackouts and suffocated industry.Iran has said that the construction of gas pipeline project with Pakistan would start very soon.Petroleum Advisor Dr Asim is of the view that the nation would be informed about the foundation of the graceful and national life-sustaining project very soon.

Iranian Oil Minister Rustam Qasmi said in an interview that Iran wants to cooperate with Pakistan in the sector of energy.He added that Iran appreciates the masterful skills of Pakistanis particularly in agricultural sector and want to adopt these skills to boost its economy and production.On the other hand, petroleum advisor Dr Asim said that there was a positive advancement regarding Pak-Iran gas pipeline project. The nation would be informed about this revolutionary achievement rendered by the PPP government for the progress and prosperity of the common man, he concluded.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is on his two-day official visit to Iran to discuss national and international issues with revolutionary leadershipThe President Asif Zardari arrived in Tehran Wednesday and held a meeting with his Iranian counterpartBoth the leaders who held one on one meeting before delegation level talks also consulted implementation of mega projects to be completed in Pakistan with the Iranian assistance.

These projects include Pak-Iran gas pipeline and provision of cheap electricity to some parts of Balochistan. They agreed to finalize these projects at the earliest which will go a long way in the development of Pakistan and overcoming energy crisis.