Armenian Delegation to Hold Talks in Tehran to Increase Gas Imports from Iran

The Armenian delegation will leave for Tehran this week to negotiate new prices and increase gas exports from Iran to Armenia, noted Behzad Babazadeh, Director of International Affairs of the Iranian National Gas Company.

He added that the Yerevan Thermal Power Plant is asking for an increase in the volume of supplies of “blue fuel” from Iran.

Noting that the contract between the Iranian National Gas Company and the Yerevan Thermal Power Plant concerns the exchange of gas for electricity, Babazadeh said that Armenia is asking for an increase in natural gas supplies from 1 million to 1.6 million cubic meters, something, he says, that Iran is willing to agree to.

The Iranian side notes that Iran's pipelines are capable of pumping more gas into Armenia, and Iran has no problems increasing the volume of gas exports since Yerevan can pay or give Iran more electricity in return.

Iran and Armenia in 2004 signed a contract on the exchange of gas for electricity for a period of 20 years.

The National Iranian Gas Company was established in 1965 as one of the four principal companies affiliated to the Ministry of Petroleum of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

By Dimitri Dolaberidze