AFP: Iraq will allow an Iranian gas pipeline which plans to take gas to Syria to cross its territory, a spokesman for the oil ministry in Baghdad said on Thursday.
BAGHDAD, August 12, 2010 (AFP) – Iraq will allow an Iranian gas pipeline which plans to take gas to Syria to cross its territory, a spokesman for the oil ministry in Baghdad said on Thursday.
“At a meeting on Wednesday with an Iranian delegation, Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani said he was willing to let a gas pipeline from Iran to Syria pass through his country,” said spokesman Mourtada Nouri.
“Both sides agreed to establish a committee to study the technical feasibility of the project.”
Iran is building a pipeline to Turkey along the Iraq border as part of a recent contract, which could be extended to include a branch through Iraq and on to Syria.
The UN Security Council hit Iran with a fourth set of sanctions on June 9 over its nuclear programme.
The United States and European Union have since imposed even tougher punitive measures of their own which contain provisions to penalise Tehran’s trading partners.
