Iran to export gas to China via Pakistan

Iran has decided to export natural gas to China via Pakistan, local media reported on Wednesday. Daily ‘Jang’ reported that senior Iranian oil ministry officials have said that Islamabad has agreed to transfer Iranian gas to China.Managing-Director of the National Iranian Gas Export Company (NIGEC) Hossein Bidarmaghz has said that because of its location Iran has advantage over its rival countries such as Qatar and Russia in exporting gas to the markets of China and Europe.He highlighted China's growing need for gas and LNG, saying that its consumption would equal all of Europe by 2030.Another Pakistan daily ‘Express’ in its report said that Iran has taken a decision to export gas to China through Pakistan. The newspaper said that Islamabad has already agreed with the Iranian decision and would facilitate Iran in exporting the gas to China. The report said multi-billion dollar Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline deal that was signed in June 2010, aims to export an annual amount of up to 21 million cubic meters of natural gas to Pakistan.