The much-delayed Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) ,Tehran pipeline is facing yet another block, as Iran wants legal protection in case of armed conflict disrupting natural gas supplies through the proposed line.

Iran is known to have been demanding changes in the under-negotiation Gas Sales and Purchase Agreement (GSPA) with consuming nations, to insulate itself from payment of penalties in case of non-supply of natural gas due to an armed conflict. The amendment to the force majeure clause is being opposed by India which wants Tehran to make alternate arrangements like shipping gas in its liquefied form (LNG), in event of any disruption.

India wants Iran to commit to the principle of 'supply-or-pay' , instead of  the 'take-or-pay' clause that others are agreeing to. India also wants the ownership of the natural gas to be transferred to it at Pakistan-India border and that Iran should be liable for safe passage of the fuel in Pakistan as India will pay only if gas is delivered at its border.

New Delhi is also opposed to Iran's insistence on revising the gas price every three years. It believes the pricing formula agreement between the three nations was for the entire 25-year tenure of the project. India and Pakistan are to buy 30 million standard cubic mtrs per day of gas each from the proposed pipeline. Such obstacles are only adding more delays to the already delayed project.