US In Talks With Pakistan To Abandon Iran Gas Deal

Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 11:08 pm

They may loathe you for being ‘duplicitous’ in the war on terror, but they will gladly sell gas to you – especially if it means you will give up gas from Iran. United States has confirmed that it has stepped up efforts to lobby Pakistan to abandon gas purchases from its western neighbor Iran.

Iranian gas will not be affordable for Pakistan, a participant from the meeting quoted US embassy officials as saying. “Well, obviously, we’re talking to countries around the world about the implication of this legislation and our efforts to cut global dependence on Iran. Pakistan is one of the countries that we’re working with.” spokesperson said.

Washington is opposing Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project to counter Tehran’s influence while throwing full weight behind TAPI to benefit western multinational companies that enjoy control over Dauletabad gas reserves, it said. Increasing stakes of American elite in the oil and gas giants have become a threat to stability of many countries, PEW President Dr Murtaza Mughal said.

Pakistan is working on several projects to meet its rising gas demands, including a multi-billion dollar gas pipeline project that will pump natural gas from Iran. Tehran Times reported that Ms Hina Rabbani Khar minister for foreign affairs informed National Assembly that import of gas from Iran is priority of Pakistan.

Iranian gas will cost $12 per million British thermal units (mmbtu) while LNG would cost $18 per mmbtu, the officials said, adding that the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline was the most viable option for Pakistan financially.

During a daily press briefing, the state department’s spokesperson Nuland Victoria said that US was talking to countries around the world to cut global dependence on Iran, adding that Pakistan was one of the countries that the US was working with.

IP pipeline is a practical idea in comparison to unfeasible TAPI, which will cross Afghanistan’s Southern regions.