Iran, Pakistan and Russia are set to meet in January to discuss Gazprom OAO's (GAZP.RS) entry in pipeline linking the Islamic republic to Pakistan, an Iranian oil ministry Web site said Friday.
The news comes as the relationship between Iran and Russia--long seen as the country closest to the Islamic republic among world powers--appears to being running into trouble.
The "peace pipeline" route is designed to transport Iranian gas to Pakistan and India, though the signature of a final deal agreement has been delayed several times over price and political issues.
Russia's Energy ministry declined to comment.
The Shana news agency, which is part the Iranian oil ministry, also said Gazprom's entry into the project had been discussed during a meeting between Russian energy minister Sergei Shmatko and Iranian oil minister Masoud Mirkazemi Sunday in Tehran.