Iran sees gas pipeline deal with India, Pakistan by mid-year

NEW DELHI (AFP) - Iran's ambassador to New Delhi said Tehran hopes to finalise a gas pipeline deal with India and Pakistan by mid-year, in an interview released on Wednesday.

The 7.5-billion-dollar project which aims to transport natural gas from Iranian oilfields to Pakistan and India was discussed during a visit to India last month Iranian by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"It is hoped the trilateral agreement will be signed by the middle of summer this year," Iran's ambassador to India Sayed Mahdi Nabizadeh was quoted as saying in an interview in the latest issue of India's Hardnews magazine.

The project was first mooted in 1994 but has been stalled by a series of disputes over prices and transit fees.

"After the president's recent visits (in April) to India and Pakistan, we have witnessed positive progress regarding implementation," the envoy said.