Pakistani senator says Iranian red tape delaying Iran-Pak-India pipeline

According to Pakistan's senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, who is heading a senate delegation to Tehran, bureaucratic red tape in Iran is responsible for delaying the decision on the implementation of the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project.

Senator Sayed has asked Iran's ruling leadership to address the pricing issue, which has been hindering the forward movement of the project.

Sayed, the general secretary of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q, was quoted as saying that red tape needed to be slashed speedily by Iran's political leadership after the delegation's talks with the Iranian leaders.

Sayed said Pakistan supported Iran's right to develop a peaceful nuclear energy programme in accordance with the IAEA and it was quite clear that the issue could not be solved through coercion or sanctions.

Sayed also urged the Iranian leadership to not isolate itself in the international community as happened in 1980s.

He saidIran has lost the support of EU, Russia and China on the nuclear issue as demonstrated by the UN Security Council resolutions and added that Iran's cause was not helped by holding the holocaust conference which was a grave blunder.