ArmInfo. Armenia will significantly refill its budget if it becomes transit country for supply of Iranian gas to Europe, economist and former lawmaker Vardan Bostanjyan told at a press conference on February 17.
According to him, the country may receive large benefits from the construction of gas pipeline on Iran- Armenia-Georgia-Black Sea route.
Earlier, Mohammad Raiesi, Iranian former Ambassador to Armenia noted that if discussions on Iranian gas supply to Europe launch, Armenia's territory may be considered as a safe, short and economically beneficial route. Several months later Director for international affairs department of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) Azizollah Ramezan said that Iran considers Armenia as a transit country on Iran-Armenia-Georgia-Black Sea route. The cost of such project is around 7-8 bln USD. Currently this route of gas pipeline is being discussed as one of possible variants. International practice shows, that transit country receives 10% of all the amount of exported natural gas, which totals 3 bln cubic meters of free gas.
Head of the National Iranian Gas Exports Co Ali-Reza Kameli stated earlier that Iran develops several projects, which will allow launching supply of gas to Europe within 2 years. This became possible after western sanctions were lifted. However, EU considers these terms non realistic.
