Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said the pipeline project to pump natural gas from Turkmenistan to India via Afghanistan and Pakistan (TAPI) is not against the interests of neighboring gas-rich Iran, IRNA reported.
‘Iran is implementing various projects in the field of energy and will emerge as an important regional player,’ he said at a press conference to mark inauguration of the gas pipeline project.
“This project bears no danger to any country as Iran is carrying out the plan to transfer its gas to India via seabed,” he replied to a question. The 1,800-km long TAPI gas pipeline faces challenges including security concerns along its route.
Afghanistan’s Presidential Office on Sunday reacted angrily after Pakistan’s defense minister said Islamabad will urge Taliban to help the security of the pipeline.
Turkmenistan on Sunday started work on its part of TAPI gas pipeline, a $10 billion project designed to reduce its dependence on gas sales to Russia and China.
The ground-breaking ceremony was held near the city of Mary in the southeastern part of the Central Asian country, close to the giant Galkynysh gas field that is meant to provide gas for the 1,814-kilometer link.
