Iran to Increase Gas Exports to Armenia

Iran has expressed its readiness to increase gas exports to Armenia, Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Mohammad Raiesi said.

Armenian Deputy Energy and Natural Resources Minister Areg Galstyan, commenting on Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Raiesi’s statement about his country’s readiness to enlarge supply of Iranian natural gas to Armenia, said that the matter deserves consideration.

Iran is ready to assist Armenia on matters of gas supply as much as it can, Raiesi told reporters, Iran’s SHANA news agency reported.

He said, “Iran will receive electricity from Armenia against gas export to the country. And this project is beneficial to both parties. “

In 2004, the Armenian government initiated construction of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline. The pipeline started operating in 2007.

Galstyan said that under the contract, Armenia can enlarge volumes of the gas imported from Iran, if it needs more gas.

Asked whether Armenia will manage to decide how much Iranian gas is an alternative to Russian gas, the deputy minister said that this is a very difficult question. “But any case, the more sources, directions and options of fuel supply a country has, the more the country is safe,” he said. “If we have to choose, we’ll prefer what is more beneficial to us politically and economically.”