TEHRAN, June 23 (ISNA)-Iran Oil Ministry's international affairs deputy announced Iran could not pay for the illogical gas subsidies placed in India and Pakistan.

"India and Pakistan through subsidization have kept their gas prices illogically low in their domestic markets. This is while this policy is being widely criticized by these countries media due to wrong consumption guidelines spreading," said Ahmad Nejadhusseinian.

"Of course these two countries will be soon forced to change theie polices as we have witnessed in this year's 30 percent gas price increase in Pakistan," he added.

"These countries will have to change their prices and make them meet international standards. If Iran now agrees to the current prices, when this happens the initial price profit offered by Iran will end up in these countries' companies pockets which is not in the interest of the Iranian nation," he emphasized.

... Payvand News - 6/24/06 ... --