Gas pipeline to be finalised in 45 days: Iran

President Pratibha Patil with her Iraian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (left) at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.

NEW DELHI : India, Pakistan and Iran will finalise in 45 days all agreements for implementation of the long-delayed tri-nation gas pipeline project, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday night. All pending issues and agreements would be finalised within 45 days and "given to the leadership of the three countries. Afterwards we will decide," he said addressing a news conference here after talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. On extending the pipeline to China, he said "we have recieved one proposal. We will evaluate it and consider its merit and evaluate all aspects of the proposal". Describing Iran's relationship with India as "deep and historic", the President said the "two sides are too close to each other and hope in the future we will finalise the gas pipeline project."