Pakistan Leader to Break Ground on Iran Pipeline Pakistan's president is traveling to Iran to help break ground on a controversial new pipeline intended to bring natural gas to his energy-starved country. President Asif Ali Zardari flew Monday to Iran where he'll be joined by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for the ceremony at the border. The event is supposed to mark the beginning of construction on the Pakistani phase of the project. The Iranians say they have completed the pipeline up to the border on their side. Washington opposes the project because it wants to isolate Iran economically to pressure Tehran over its nuclear program. The Pakistanis say they are pushing ahead with the project despite American pressure to meet their energy demands.