Armenian President: cooperation in energy sphere is the most important component of Armenian-Iranian relations

ArmInfo. Armenian President Serzh  Sargsyan considers it possible to implement a project on the transit  of gas from Iran to Europe. The head of the republic said this in an  interview with the influential Iranian newspaper Sharh, on the eve of  his visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

According to the president, cooperation in the field of energy is an  important component of the Armenian- Iranian relations. The President  recalled that Armenia has been implementing a "mutually beneficial  program" gas for electricity in the order of ten years with Iran." In  this context, Sargsyan said, great importance is attached to the  construction of the third Armenia-Iran power transmission line, which  will significantly increase the volume of exchange.

"As for the issue of gas transit from Iran to Europe, such a  large-scale project, it must be thoroughly studied, calculations are  needed, and if it is economically beneficial to all parties, why  not?" The president said. This issue, he said, is currently in the  stage of expert discussions. "We, in turn, have repeatedly stated  that they are interested in participating in major regional economic  projects and are ready for cooperation," he stressed.

To note, Iranian gas arrives in Armenia from May 15, 2009 according  to the agreement within the framework of the program "Gas in exchange  for electricity."

To remind, the four-sided memorandum between Armenia, Georgia, Iran  and Russia providing for increasing the level of management of  electricity flows, security and reliability of power systems was  signed on December 23, 2015 in Yerevan. According to the RA Ministry  of Energy, the creation of a favorable environment for cooperation is  facilitated by the fact that the energy systems of the four countries  operate in parallel synchronous mode. In particular, it is planned to  commission the fourth power transmission line Armenia-Georgia with  the capacity of 400-500 kW by 2018. As a result, it will be possible  to work in parallel with Georgia's power system, and the capacity of  electricity flows at the first stage will be 350 MW, and by 2021 it  will be brought up to 700 MW. In addition, until 2018, the third  high-voltage power line Iran-Armenia will be put into operation,  which will make it possible to increase the capacity of the overflows  to 1,200 MW. The purpose of these events is the implementation of the  initiative to create an electricity corridor North-South, which will  provide an opportunity to work with the energy systems of the EEU and  the EU.