Deputy Minister: The Iranian side has yet to submit proposals on an acceptable price for gas

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%.