Zardari delays visit to Iran

AFP/Islamabad

Pakistan’s president has delayed a visit to Iran to discuss a huge gas deal despite Tehran’s offer of a loan to help finance a project which the US opposes, officials said yesterday.

The $7.5bn pipeline project has run into repeated difficulties — over US opposition because of Iran’s nuclear activities and Pakistan’s difficulty in finding funds.

It was originally reported that President Asif Ali Zardari would visit Iran last Friday and that the final agreement would be likely signed during the visit. “The visit may materialise on his way back from the ongoing foreign tour or he may visit Tehran after coming back home,” a petroleum ministry official said.

Iranian officials said that the visit had been postponed at Pakistan’s request and would happen “soon”.

“It has been agreed that the visit would take place with a bit of change. Iranian assistance to build the peace pipeline in Pakistan will be one of the issues on the visit’s agenda,” said foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mahmanparast.