ArmInfo. The Iranian side has not yet submitted proposals on an acceptable price for gas. Deputy Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources Hayk Harutyunyan stated this at a press conference in Yerevan on February 13, commenting on the statement of the Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Seyed Kazem Sadjadi about the desire of the Iranian side to start direct gas supplies to Armenia.
"The Iranian side constantly declares its readiness to increase the volume of its gas exports to Armenia." This issue is being discussed, and I hope to achieve significant progress in the near future on this project. If Armenia becomes more active in the energy sector, I think that significant steps will be taken, and this will create new jobs in Armenia, "Seyed Kazem Sadjadi said the day before.
Meanwhile, according to Hayk Harutyunyan, Iran is supplying gas to Armenia within the framework of the gas-for-electricity deal at 1 cubic meter of gas in exchange for 3 kW / h of electricity. Within the framework of this program, as the deputy minister believes, there are no restrictions. Moreover, this year it is planned to significantly increase the volume of gas supplies from Iran. In 2017, 382.7 million cubic meters of gas were delivered from Iran, of which 1.996 billion cubic meters from Russia. At the same time, the volume of gas supplies from Russia increased by 7% last year, and from Iran - by 2.9%.
As for direct gas supplies from Iran, the issue here is limited by the price. "Since the Iranian side, there have been no proposals for a more affordable price for gas than gas coming from Russia, when a more competitive price is obtained, then the issue will be discussed," the deputy minister said, adding that only in January of this year the volume of electricity supplies to Iran in exchange for gas increased by 104%.