TEHRAN, May 29 (Shana) � Iran kicked off construction of its 9th cross-country gas pipeline, senior official affiliated to the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) said.

Speaking to Shana, Planning Director of the National Iranian Gas Company Hassan Montazer Torbati said on Sunday that construction of 9th cross-country pipeline has been already started.

Development of gas pipeline in rural and urban areas for various provinces of the country particularly the deprived regions have been also the top agenda of NIGC from the previous year and will continue till the next year, the official added.

Montazer Torbati said that NIGC is keen to complete and exploit the 9th cross-country gas pipeline project in two and a half years.

Export of gas to Iraq and Pakistan as well as export of gas through an undersea pipeline to Oman are also on the agenda of NIGC, he added.

The official said that the undersea Iran-Oman gas pipeline is at the surveying stage and after finalizing can enter the execution stage.

The private sector is expected to make a five billion dollar investment to construct the 9th cross-country pipeline. �The 1,800-kilometer long pipeline with 17 gas pressure stations would be built to transfer the country�s gas to Turkey and Europe and to meet the shortage in western parts of the country. The 56 inch pipeline�s starting point is in Assalouyeh, southern province of Bushehr, and extends to Bazargan border in northwestern Iran, carrying 110 million cubic meters of gas per day.

By SHANA