TEHRAN, June 11: Energy ministers from Iran and India voiced hope on Saturday that negotiations would be wrapped up soon on a proposed multi-billion dollar pipeline between the two countries that will run across Pakistan. Iran’s Bijan Namdar Zanghaneh and his Indian counterpart Mani Shankar Aiyar also discussed a deal for Tehran to deliver gas to India and plans for an Indian role in developing oil and gas fields in Iran, news agencies reported.

“Negotiations are progressing well on developing oil cooperation between the two countries,” Zanganeh was quoted as saying by the ISNA student news agency.

“The two ministers voiced hope that these negotiations (on the Iran-India pipeline) will be finalized in the near future,” the agency added.

The 2,600-km overland gas pipeline project with an estimated cost of about $4.5 billion has been strongly opposed by the United States because of its concern about Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Negotiations for the pipeline began in 1994 but made little headway because of tensions between Pakistan and India.

But since January 2004, the two countries have been engaged in a peace process and relations are at their best for years.

The pipeline will supply gas from the massive South Pars offshore fields in the Gulf.—AFP