Visit delay raises questions over Iran-Pakistan project
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Pakistan's president delayed visit to Iran to discuss huge gas deal despite Teheran's loan offer -- PHOTO / AP
ISLAMABAD (AFP) - Pakistan's president has delayed a visit to Iran to discuss a huge gas deal despite Teheran's offer of a loan to help finance a project which the US opposes, officials said on Tuesday.
The US$7.5 billion (S$9.12 billion) pipeline project has run into repeated difficulties - over US opposition because of Iran's nuclear activities and Pakistan's difficulty in finding funds.
It was originally reported that President Asif Ali Zardari would visit Iran last Friday and that the final agreement would be likely signed during the visit.
Pakistani officials denied that the visit had been cancelled, claiming it had never been officially scheduled due to Zardari's engagements in London and Paris.
