Pakistani President arrives in Tehran

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari arrived in Tehran onr a two-day visit on Wednesday at the head of a high-ranking delegation, IRNA reported.

Zardari was welcomed by Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Ghasemi at the Mehrabad International Airport.

Pakistani President is accompanied by a number of Pakistani officials including oil minister and senior foreign ministry deputies.

Zardari is scheduled to meet and confer with high-ranking Iranian officials including President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his stay in Tehran.

The two sides are expected to sign economic deals and discuss transfer of Iran's gas to Pakistan Known as peace pipeline.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in his trip to Pakistan on November 22 emphasised the need to complete the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline according to schedule.

Iran will start building the Pakistan section of the IP pipeline by next month, IRIB quoted National Iranian Gas Company's managing director Javad Owji as saying.

The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, projected to cost $1.2-1.5 billion, is aimed at exporting a daily amount of 21.5 million cubic meters of Iranian natural gas to Pakistan.

Iran has already constructed more than 900 kilometres of the pipeline on its soil.

Iran has proposed a $250 million dollar loan to Pakistan to help finance the project. Iran has pledged to secure the required $500 million to complete the Pakistani section of the project and the rest will be provided by the Pakistan government.

It has been planned that Iranian and Pakistani companies form a joint venture to finance the project.

According to the project proposal, the pipeline will begin from Iran's Assalouyeh Energy Zone in the south and stretch over 1100 km through Iran. In Pakistan, it will pass through Baluchistan and Sindh.