President Mahmud Ahmedinejad of Iran and Pakistan’s president Asif Ali Zardari signed an intergovernmental framework declaration to support the gas deal (generally known as the Peace Pipeline Deal) that was previously signed by the oil ministries of the two countries. The deal fits in with a broader agreement for cooperation between Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran on curbing such common threats as terrorism, drug smuggling, and human trafficking.

Signed earlier as the Gas Sale Purchase Agreement between the National Iranian Oil Company and Pakistan’s Interstate Gas System, the Peace Pipeline Deal will allow the export of some 23 million cubic meters/per day of Iran’s natural gas to Pakistan for the next 25 years. For this purpose a 2100 kilometer long gas pipeline will be laid between the two countries – about 1100 km falling in Iran’s territory and about 1000 km in that of Pakistan. The agreement is extendible to another 5 years and it is said to have room for India to join as well, if she wanted.

At the conclusion of a one-day trilateral summit, held in Tehran on Sunday, the presidents of the three countries - Iran, Pakistna, and Afghanistan – discussed better and more effective trade agreements for trilateral tare and transit, combating terrorism and militancy, and collaborating closely to meet the challenges in the energy and commerce sectors. The broader aim of this cooperation is the development of the region by combined effort.