Iran, Pakistan discuss energy ties

Iranian president and Pakistani prime minister discussed energy cooperation on the sidelines of the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. President Hassan Rouhani and Nawaz Sharif met at the United Nations Headquarters. The Pakistani prime minister voiced his country’s interest in deepening ties with Iran and expressed hope that regional issues will be resolved.Nawaz Sharif called for broader cooperation between the two countries. The Pakistani head of state said he is sending his petroleum and energy minister Shahed Khaqan Abbasi to Tehran to discuss the completion of a gas pipeline under construction to carry natural gas from Iran to its eastern neighbor. Nawaz Sharif also invited Rouhani to pay an official visit to Pakistan. The Iranian president accepted the invitation and expressed hope that he will soon be able to travel to Pakistan. Rouhani and Nawaz Sharif underscored the issue of terrorism and called for serious fight against it. Construction of the $1.5 billion Pakistani section of the Iran-Pakistan pipeline officially started February 20. Iran on the other hand, has already built almost all of its section of the estimated $7.7 billion, 2,775-km pipeline. Pakistan plans to buy between 750,000 mcf/d and 1 bcf/d of gas through the pipeline.