Pakistan’s disregard for Washington’s warning about Tehran-Islamabad trade cooperation

A week after the United States announced its opposition to the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project and warned of sanctions against the two countries in this regard, “Asif In a meeting with Iran’s Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam in Islamabad, Pakistan President Ali Zardari stressed the need to promote trade and bilateral economic relations with Iran in line with the interests of these two neighboring countries.

Economic Times newspaper reported that Zardari said that Pakistan and Iran have many opportunities to expand bilateral economic cooperation in various fields.

The American government said on March 26 (last Tuesday) that it does not support the progress of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project and warned about the risk of imposing sanctions on trade with Iran.

Earlier, Pakistani media reported that “Mossadegh Malik”, Pakistan’s oil minister, said that Islamabad intends to request the US government to receive an exemption from sanctions for the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project.

Nation Pakistan news site also wrote last Monday that Mossadegh Malik said in an informal interview with the media: “We will seek exemption from US sanctions, because the gas project of Pakistan and Iran cannot bear the burden of sanctions.”

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In addition, the Pakistani newspaper “Dawn” reported that the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project has been on the agenda for a long time, but it has been plagued by repeated delays and funding challenges for several years.

Matthew Miller, the spokesperson of the US Department of State, told reporters last Tuesday: “We always advise everyone that doing business with Iran involves the risk of coming into contact with our sanctions, and we advise everyone that this issue should be considered very cautiously.”

He added: “We do not support the implementation of this pipeline project.”

According to Miller, “Donald Lowe”, the official in charge of South and Central Asia in the US State Department, told a US congressional committee the same thing a few days ago.

However, the President of Pakistan expressed his commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Iran.

He also called for cooperation in solving common challenges.

Iran’s ambassador in Islamabad also emphasized the need to increase the volume of transactions, banking cooperation and communication in the field of commerce.

He said that Pakistan can benefit from the Chabahar-Zahedan rail route for trade with Central Asia and Europe.

Source: ISNA