New Delhi, September 15
India’s ambivalence on the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project, apparently under US pressure, could prove costly for the country.
Iran today indicated that India’s attitude could compel Tehran to consider inviting China to join the project, also known as the peace pipeline.
Addressing a press conference here today, Iranian Ambassador to India Seyed Mehdi Nabizadeh admitted that China had shown keen interest in joining the 2,775-km pipeline project, aimed at delivering natural gas from Iran to Pakistan and India.
The Iranian envoy said his country had almost concluded talks with Pakistan on the project. However, India could not participate in these talks. Iran was hopeful that the talks on the project would resume once India and Pakistan return to the negotiating table. “We believe India still has an opportunity to be a part of the project. But it must be mentioned that the time is running out fast,” he added.
Asked if Iran had started negotiations with Beijing on the project, Nabizadeh said, “We hope the issue (with India) will be resolved and we won’t have to talk to anyone else on the
project.”
On whether India was under pressure from the US to abandon the project, he said only New Delhi could reply to the question while hoping the India would not buckle under pressure from any quarter.
The project is expected to benefit India and Pakistan, which don’t have sufficient natural gas to meet their rapidly increasing domestic demand for energy. However, India is wary about the security of the project since the pipeline would pass through the Pakistani territory. The 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks have again highlighted that India’s concerns about the security of the pipeline are not misplaced.
Realising that India was having second thoughts about the project, China has conveyed to Pakistan that it was interested in joining the project in the event of New Delhi opting out. Iran also appears to have no objection to exporting gas to China.
Pakistan has, meanwhile, started pleading China’s case with Iran. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmud Qureshi had recently gone to the extent of suggesting that instead of the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project, it could become Iran-Pakistan-China (IPC) project.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Ambassador avoided a direct reply when asked if his country supported India’s bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. He said Iran was of the firm view that the UN should be restructured. Other issues could be sorted out later.
Nabizadeh also spoke about cooperation between India and Iran in the ongoing rehabilitation and reconstruction programme under way in Afghanistan. He opposed the presence of foreign forces in Afghanistan.
On Iran’s nuclear programme, he said Tehran’s talks with permanent members of the UN Security Council on the issue were progressing satisfactorily.
