I think this is great news.
Pakistan needs energy and Iran can provide it.
Also Iran’s pro-Indian stance could change if India pulls out due to American pressure because of India’s Nuclear Power Plant deal stalled in congress.
If Iran becomes more pro-Pakistan, Pakistan can become an intermediate between Iran and USA. Because at the moment, there is no country in the region which has good relations with both Iran and USA other than Pakistan.
So, Pakistan gains a lot from this.
Pakistan can add an International Player to its resume.
http://www.tehrantimes.com/Description.asp?Da=5/1/2006&Cat=9&Num=025
Iran, Pakistan vow to go ahead with gas pipeline
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Iran and Pakistan on Sunday vowed to work on a bilateral gas pipeline project if India fails to join them.
The original plan called for a $7 billion pipeline to pump Iranian gas to India through Pakistani territory, and officials had said they aimed to sign a deal in June.
The cost and timing of a bilateral deal for a shorter pipeline has yet to be determined.
Ahmed Waqar, permanent secretary at Pakistan’s Petroleum Ministry, said Pakistan and Iran had agreed to go ahead with the bilateral pipeline regardless of the outcome of the trilateral project.
“Both sides agreed to make immediate efforts for concluding the bilateral arrangements,” said a statement issued after three days of talks between senior petroleum officials of the two countries.
Iran’s deputy oil minister, Mohammad Hadi Nejad-Hosseinian, on Friday urged Pakistan and India to press ahead with the project or face the prospect of buying 1 million barrels a day of imported oil.
The United States, which claims Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons, has been urging Pakistan and India not to do business with Tehran.
Instead Washington wants them to focus their efforts on another gas pipeline project that is planned to run from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan.
Officials of Pakistan, Iran and India next plan to meet in late May to discuss the project.