Gas can't be sent through a pipeline to a power plant in Iraq until next year because of the security situation there, an Iranian development official said.

The 60-mile pipeline is designed to export 176 million cubic feet of natural gas per day from Iran's offshore South Pars field. Iraq, for its part, has struggled to ensure around-the-clock electricity despite its vast natural resource wealth.

Alireza Gharibi, managing director of the Iranian Gas Engineering and Development Co., said the pipeline was ready for full-scale testing, but couldn't pinpoint a set date for normal operations.

"Iran's gas cannot be exported to Iraq under the current insecure conditions, hence it will be exported to Iraq early next year," he said Saturday.

U.S. and international forces are coordinating a measured response to help Iraq contain militants with the Islamic State, a Sunni-led terrorist group in control of parts of Iraq and Syria.

Gharibi last month said the 60-mile gas pipeline was in the pre-startup phase and gas had reached al-Mansurya power plant across the border.