Thursday, May 25 2006 17:19 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: A meeting between ministers of India, Pakistan and Iran on the over 7 billion dollar tri-nation gas pipeline has been postponed by at least a month to allow officials reach a consensus on crucial issues like gas pricing and project structure.

The energy ministers of the three countries were to meet in Tehran next month to finalise modalities for implementation of the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline project. The meeting will now be held in July-August, official sources said.

The secretary level talks on the pipeline, held in Islamabad earlier this week, failed to resolve the pricing issue as Iran found the price offered by India and Pakistan too low.

Officials of the three countries will meet again in New Delhi in the second week of July to reach a consensus on the issue.