Friday, May 5 2006 16:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Iran has said it would take a 'final decision' on a gas pipeline with India and Pakistan within 90 days and hoped that its talks with the two countries during the stipulated period would bring about some 'positive outcome.'

A final decision on the USD 7.2 billion gas pipeline would be taken within 90 days, Iranian President Mahmaoud Ahmadinejad said yesterday during talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on the sidelines of Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) Summit in Azerbaijan's capital Baku.

Ahmadinejad said he hoped for some 'positive outcome' within the stipulated time, Pakistan's state-run APP news agency reported today.

The Iranian President also briefed Aziz about his recent telephonic talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard and said a positive decision is expected within three months.

Aziz told Ahmadinejad that Pakistan, owing to its rapidly growing economy, is looking forward to an early completion of the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project.

He said the demand for natural gas was on the rise with the existing industries switching over to natural gas in addition of new cement and heavy industrial plants.