WASHINGTON: The US has warned Pakistan that if it goes ahead with the construction of a USD 7.5 billion gas pipeline with Iran, sanctions would be triggered, even as a section of the project was inaugurated today."We have serious concerns, if this project actually goes forward, that theIranSanctions Actwould be triggered. We've been straight up withthe Pakistanisabout these concerns. As I said at some length last week, we are also working very closely bilaterally to support alternative projects to provide Pakistan with the energy that it needs," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters.
"We've heard this pipeline announced about 10 or 15 times before in the past. So we have to see what actually happens. If this project actually goes forward, we have serious concerns that sanctions would be triggered," she said in response to a question.
"What the legislation calls for is for ourpartner countriesto be makinga concerted effortto reduce their dependence on Iranian oil over time so we are able to waive sanctions as we see reductions being made," she said.
"In the case of theEuropean Union, they're now at zero. In the case of Japan, they've been makinga steady decline, as have other countries that we have waived sanctions on. This pipeline project, if it actually goes forward would take Pakistan in the wrong direction right at a time that we're trying to work with Pakistan on better, more reliable ways to meet its energy needs," she said.
By The Economic Times
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