BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- Ecological concerns raised by Iran regarding planned infrastructure developments in the Caspian are purely political, analysts say.
Iranian Deputy Oil Minister Hossein Noqrekar Shirazi told state media Monday Iran is opposed to the construction of the planned 434-mile gas artery across the Caspian seabed because of the potential for environmental damage.
Rasim Musabeyov, an independent political scientist based in Baku, Azerbaijan, said those comments were veiled criticisms that reflect Iran's intent to thwart developments in the Caspian region supported by Western nations, Azeri news agency Today.Az reported Tuesday.
Musabeyov said any development on the estimated $5 billion Trans-Caspian pipeline system to traverse the Caspian Sea "undermines the system of monopolies established by Iran and Russia on the European markets."
The Trans-Caspian system would run from Kazakh ports across the Caspian to Baku. Its estimated capacity approaches 1.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas per year.
The Trans-Caspian system may be necessary if Caspian suppliers commit to the planned Western-backed Nabucco gas artery to Europe, which is intended to ease regional dependency on Russian natural resources.
