Tehran, Dec. 22: Iranian Oil Minister Gholamhossein Nozari has said that India has not pulled out of peace pipeline project and was still interested in the gas contract.

The Tehran Times quoted Nozari as telling reporters here he had held a meeting with India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, E.Ahamed, and other officials this week and they had expressed their eagerness to take part in the project.

“The Indian party has a row with Pakistan on the transit fee, ” recalled Nozari, adding if the issue were settled, India would surely rejoin the gas talks.

He pointed to the last round of Iran-Pakistan talks on peace pipeline and said the contract was ready and the two sides could sign the deal.

“All big contracts must be approved by the board of directors of National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and the special working group that follows up the oil affairs, ” he added.

He said the Pakistani party also needed to receive permits for signing the contract as the deal required the permit of NIOC’s directorate and special working group, predicting that the contract would be inked within the next two or three months.

The last round of negotiations on peace pipeline between Iranian and Pakistani delegations ended here last Tuesday.

The two sides finalized the details of the gas contract.

The third party India has not officially announced its decision on the gas deal, but the latest remarks of Indian authorities showed their interest in resuming negotiations. (ANI)