Garegin Baghramyan does not see sanctions threats for realization of  Armenian-Iranian energy cooperation

ArmInfo. US anti-Iranian sanctions will not be able to affect the implementation of the  program "Gas in exchange for electric energy". Acting Minister of  Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of Armenia Garegin  Baghramyan stated to journalists on December 6.

According to Baghramian, during the November meeting with  representatives of the State Department, the Armenian side presented  the details of the program, the total cost of which is estimated at $  1 billion. "The return of investment is the construction of  Iran-Armenia power transmission line  and the new TPP can only be  achieved within the framework of the implementation of the Gas for  Electricity program," he explained, stressing that the US side was  sympathetic to this reality, therefore there are no barriers to full  implementation project to life.

Meanwhile, since 2008, Armenia has been supplying Iranian gas within  the framework of the "Gas for Electricity" program. Karen Nazaryan  also touched upon the issue of Iranian gas supplies to  Armenia in  the context of the latest US anti-Iran sanctions. As the Deputy  Minister pointed out, since 2008 Iranian gas has been supplied  to  Armenia within the framework of the "Gas for Electricity" program.   The program has already managed to prove its effectiveness, which   inspired the European partners, who, in the light of recent sanctions   threats, may try to learn from Armenian experience. "Being a small   country, we are able to export our experience," Nazaryan stressed.   To note, the interdepartmental expert group of the US State  Secretariat and Treasury visited Yerevan on November 15-16 to study  the sanctions policy directed against Iran with Armenian colleagues  from government and business circles. As reported by the US Embassy  in Armenia, through such visits for the states of the world, the US  sanctions policy towards Iran is clarified and explained. According  to the information, the delegation highlighted US efforts to change  the negative behavior of the Iranian regime, by maximizing economic  and diplomatic pressure, while noting areas of cooperation with  partner countries such as Armenia.

 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%.