TEHRAN – Iranian Petroleum Minister Bijan Zangeneh announced Sunday thatIran is to begin legal proceedings against Pakistan in a protracted gaspipeline project.

link>Iran link> haslaid the pipeline upto link>Pakistanlink> ‘s border, butlink>Pakistanlink> has neglected to take due measure onits soil, Zangeneh said at a press briefing. So the Petroleumlink>Ministrylink> is to take the issue to the court, headded.

About Tehran-Ashkhabad gas dispute, the minister saidlink>Iran link> didnot import gas after Turkmenistan cut off its imports and claimed for1.8-billion-dollar in arrears from link>Iranlink> .

The two sides did some swap after cutting-off measure, Zangeneh said addingTurkmenistan wants to settle the gas dispute through international courtswhile link>Iranlink> believesthat Ashkhabad should make up for the losses.

The dispute started between link>Iranlink> and Turkmenistan over gas imports whenAshkhabad, despite its previous agreements with Tehran, demanded forillogical high prices for its exported gas tolink>Iran link> ‘snorthern regions.

On December 30, 2016, Iranian representatives who were in Turkmenistan fortalks over the dispute were told by Tehran to leave the negotiationswarning their Turkmen counterparts that Tehran will not accept anythingbeyond the previously made bilateral agreements.

The minister also said the production and export of the Iranian oillink> grew after the July 2015 nuclear deal. Healso rejected claims about a barter deal betweenlink>Iran link>andRussia to exchange oil link> for advanced fighterjets.

Turning to the issue of gasoline, Zangeneh saidlink>Iran link> produced16.5 million liters of the product, which shows an increase from the pastIranian calendar year ended on March 20, 2017, most from the Persian GulfStar Refinery (PGSR) this year. – Agencies