Armenia Ministry of Energy: Armenia has not received invitation from Iran on participating in project of construction of gas-pipe to Europe

ArmInfo. Armenia has not received invitation from Iran on participating in project of construction of gas-pipe to Europe, Armenia's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Yervand Zakharyan said answering to ArmInfo's question on the sidelines of the 13th meeting of Armenian-Iranian Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation on December 23.

According to him, this project will not be discussed during the session of intergovernmental commission. " As soon as we receive corresponding invitation we will inform the society immediately," the Armenian Minister noted.

To note, earlier Iran's that time Ambassador to Armenia Mohammad Raiesi in one of his interviews noted that if discussions on supply of Iranian gas to Europe commence Armenia's territory may be considered as short, secure and economically beneficial route.  In April of the current year Director of international relations in Iranian National Gas Company Azizollah Ramezani stated that Iran considers Armenia as transit country on Iran-Armenia-Georgia-Black-Sea route.

The cost of such project is between 7 and 8 bln USD. But the cost of the project does not stop Iran as the question relates to supply of up to 30 billion cubic metes of gas to European consumers yearly.

However, route through Armenia is still considered as one of possible ones. The international practice shows that transit country receives 10 % of the whole amount of exported " blue flame gas" and it totals 3 billion cubic meters. For comparison Armenia receives from Russian Federation 2.5 billion cubic meters of gas plus 300-450 million cubic meters from Iran in exchange of electricity.