NEW DELHI, July 25 (UPI) -- India and Iran plan to discuss details surrounding the Iran-Pakistan-India natural gas pipeline during a meeting in Tehran next week, officials said Friday.
Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will visit with Iranian officials during a two-day visit starting Tuesday to discuss the $7.4 billion pipeline, The Press Trust of India reported.
All parties to the pipeline are in various stages of negotiation on custody and pricing for the natural gas delivered to the region from the South Pars field in Iran. New Delhi has faced criticism for balking on the deal in response to U.S. opposition to the pipeline. Washington discourages any deals with Tehran while Iran is under economic sanctions for its controversial nuclear program.
New Delhi, however, moved recently on the deal under pressure from left-wing parties.
"The government wants the project to go through, and this could be the occasion to put all issues in the right perspective," an official with the Indian Petroleum Ministry said.
