NEW DELHI, July 23: An ambitious deal to build a gas pipeline between India and Iran through Pakistan has run into trouble, Iran’s foreign minister was quoted as saying on Sunday.

Oil ministers from the three countries are set to meet in Tehran early next month over a pricing dispute and ways to build the 2,775-km line across rugged terrain and heavily militarized frontiers.

The pipeline situation is “a little bit complicated because of the changing of circumstances from the time when the contract and agreement was signed”,’ Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on the New Delhi Television news channel.

“I think both sides found out that there are some specific difficulties to implementing the project agreement as it is now,” Mr Mottaki said.

Iran wants the gas price linked to international oil prices, and is offering India gas at $7.20 per million British thermal units (Btu), with a 3 per cent annual increase, an Indian official said earlier this month.—ap