Pakistan and Iran inked a 25-year supply deal in 2009, and Tehran completed building the over 900-kilometer-long Iranian section of the pipeline 10 years ago. But construction on the Pakistani side has been held up, drawing Iranian consternation. Islamabad has now announced its intention to soon begin constructing the first 80 kilometers of the pipeline link from the Iranian border to the Pakistani port city of Gwadar, in a bid to avoid a potential Iranian lawsuit for breach of contract.