Change in negotiating group not to deter Tehran's policy: Iran

Dubai, Dec 12 (UNI) Iran has said withdrawal of a key official heading the negotiating group on Iran-India gas pipeline project would not mean any change in Tehran's policy towards gas supplies to the Indian subcontinent.

Mr Mohammad Hadi Nejad-Hosseinian, who is departing as the head of the negotiation team, asserted that the top level change is not going to alter the policies on gas supplies.

Under the Iran-Pakistan-India project known as 'Peace Pipeline', India will receive natural gas from Iran's giant gas field in South Pars via a 1700-mile pipeline of which 475 miles will pass through Baluchistan in southern Pakistan.

Implementation of the project has been delayed in part due to a lack of trilateral consensus on price.

After negotiations on pricing failed, the three countries appointed a UK-based consultant to assess the issue during one of tri-party meetings in August.

The consultant has presented its report recently, which is reportedly being assessed by India and Pakistan.

UNI XC PV RAI1317