US has concerns over Pak-Iran gas pipeline project: envoy

The United States (US) has concerns over the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project, US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson said on Monday. Talking to reporters during his visit to Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum, the US ambassador said, “We do have concerns about Iran’s potential development as a nuclear power and that we are not alone in this regard… this is the strongly held consensus view of the international community.” He also said his country was ready to cooperate with Pakistan in the energy sector in order to curb energy shortage faced by the country. “We believe in religious independence,” Olson said. The ambassador said Pakistan and the US were “waging a joint war against the menace of terrorism to ensure global peace”. He said efforts to promote Pakistan-US ties particularly in education‚ culture and energy sectors were underway.