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Iran gas pipeline: No US pressure on India, says minister

NEW DELHI — There is no question of the United States or any other country pressurising India on the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project, Lok Sabha was informed yesterday.

"There is no question of the US or any other country interfering in India's internal affairs. I can assure the House there is no such fear and India cannot be pressurised," Petroleum Minister Murli Deora said.

"We are going ahead with our discussions on the pipeline project with Iran and Pakistan," he said during Questionn Hour when asked whether top US leaders like US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice had put any pressure on India.

To questions regarding security of the project in Pakistan, Deora said Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, during his recent visit to India, had "himself guaranteed that there will be no problems to the project".

The 2135 kilometre long pipeline would be built at a total cost of about $7 billion, he said.

Deora said the government was also pursuing import of natural gas from Iran in national interest in order to meet energy requirements.

The minister said though there were American legal requirements under the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act of 1996, "this is also not an issue".

He said the Joint Working Group between India and Pakistan had been meeting regularly and had last met in February.

The technical sub-group also met in March and discussed transit fee and transportation cost. These meetings would continue, the Minister said.