Pakistan's president is traveling to Iran to help break ground on a new pipeline intended to bring natural gas to his energy-starved country, The Associated Press reports.

President Asif Ali Zardari flew Monday, March 11 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.