Pakistan and Iran in talks over CPEC joining

Islamabad: Iran, which is keen to join the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has started talks with Pakistan to extend the ambitious project to the oil-rich nation.

Iran’s envoy to Pakistan Mehdi Honardoost held talks with CPEC Projects Director Zahir Shah to discuss fields in which Iran would be able to participate and play an “active” role in the CPEC, Pakistan Today newspaper reported.

Iran had showed willingness to become part of the CPEC in a recent meeting between President Hasan Rouhani and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in New York last month.

“Iran’s different private sectors have huge capabilities in different fields including technical, engineering, energy projects, road and construction, building energy transmission line and are fully prepared to participate in different projects of CPEC,” said Honardoost.

The ambassador also stressed that Iran is ready to meet the energy needs of Pakistan, including natural gas and electricity, which is crucially important for Pakistan to move faster on completion of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Shah praised Iran’s willingness and readiness to participate in the projects of CPEC and emphasised the importance of cooperation between Iran and Pakistan in different fields.

“China-Pakistan Economic Corridor should be extended to Iran,” Shah said.

India has already expressed concern over the USD 46 billion CPEC project that passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The lifting of international sanctions against Iran has paved the way for resumption of economic relations between Iran and Pakistan.

PTI