GEO- Iran may cancel high-profile gas pipeline project with Pakistan due to stunted progress on construction work, the head of National Gas Company Hamid Reza Araqi told Iran�s Mehr news agency.

Hamid Reza said that Iran is faced with three options: either to continue with the pipeline, restart negotiations to realise the project or cancel it altogether.

He also asked Pakistan to complete the gas pipeline project on its side.

The �peace pipeline� deal entails import of 22 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d) of gas by Pakistan and was signed during President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad�s tenure.

The news agency noted that Pakistan was to start gas imports in early 2015, but has not begun construction of a pipeline. Iran also has failed to finish the IGAT7 project which was to transit South Pars field�s gas to the borders with Pakistan.

Pakistani politicians have reiterated the country�s commitment to complete the project, while noting that sanctions by UN and the US on Iran slowed down the progress.

The $7 billion gas project has faced repeated delays since it was conceived in the 1990s to connect Iran's giant South Pars gas field to India via Pakistan.