Iran can provide cheap gas, electricity, oil to Pakistan: envoy

ISLAMABAD: Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam said on Friday that Iran could provide cheap gas, electricity and oil to Pakistan.

The Iranian ambassador said this in an informal chat during a reception he hosted for the editors of Rawalpindi and Islamabad newspapers. He said that Iran floated a suggestion to start direct flights to the capitals of both countries and Pakistan had agreed to the proposal. He said that Pakistan had sought Fifth Freedom facility for PIA flights to Tehran and Iran had also sought such a facility for its four airlines. At present flights are being operated to Mashhad from Lahore and Karachi.

While commenting on the gas pipeline project between Pakistan and Iran, Moghadam said in view of the US sanctions, Iran seeks such a solution where Islamabad does not get into any global crisis if it gets gas from Tehran. He said that Pakistan is facing a crisis of high tariff of gas and power and Iran can solve the issue by providing gas and electricity to Pakistan on affordable tariff. Iran can also provide oil to Pakistan at cheaper rates, he said. About ties with the UAE, he said that Iran has friendly ties with UAE as both countries have a trade of billions of dollars. He said that Iranian ambassadors are working in Saudi Arabia and the UAE and their envoys are also doing work in Tehran. About a question regarding the US, he said that the US is a big power but there are certain shortcomings in the US policy.