ISLAMABAD May 18: Iran is willing to export electricity to Pakistan to help it come out of its energy crisis.

This was stated by Iranian Ambassador Masha'Allah Shakeri while speaking on 'Pak-Iran relations in the context of emerging regional and global scenario' at the Institute of Policy Studies here on Wednesday.

He said Iran had already done its part of the work on a number of power projects which both countries had mutually agreed upon.

“The two countries had entered into an agreement in 2008 under which Pakistan had agreed to purchase 1000MW electricity from Iran, with 100MW meant for Gwadar,” Mr Shakeri said, adding that “Iran has already developed this capacity but is waiting for Pakistan to undertake its share of the work.”

Mr Shakeri said Pakistan's electricity needs could be met to a large extent through cooperation as Iran had the potential to provide 'most viable and economical' electricity to the country.

He said Iran was already providing 40MW electricity to Balochistan, adding that Iranian companies were busy installing two power projects in Sindh. Another company had enhanced the capacity of one hydro-electricity project from 65MW to 125MW.

At present Iran was producing over 60,000MW electricity, which is more than its domestic consumption. Therefore Tehran is supplying its surplus electricity to a number of countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey and Armenia.

The Iranian envoy blamed the “banking services and bureaucratic behaviours in Pakistan” as the main hurdles to completion of the projects.

The envoy also spoke at length on supplying Iranian natural gas to Pakistan. He said Iran had already laid a 56-inch diameter pipeline, starting from the delivery point up to Pakistan's border.

“We are still waiting for Pakistan to indicate an inlet point” so that the project could be completed,” Mr Shakeri said.

He quoted Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad as saying that “there was no limit for expansion of cooperation with Pakistan”.

However, Institute of Policy Studies Chairman Prof Khursheed Ahmad said Pakistan was failing to move ahead on energy projects mainly due to American opposition. “There were actors and factors at international level that are seemingly interested in creating obstacles in the bilateral relations between Iran and Pakistan,” Senator Prof Khursheed Ahmad said.

He said bilateral cooperation between the two countries was vital for peace and stability and for cultural development in Central Asia and Middle East.

Former ambassador to Iran Tanvir Ahmad Khan said whenever Pakistan choose to become a frontline state for the US, its space for taking independent decisions were curtailed.