TEHRAN – Armenia’s prime minister has called Iran a very important player in the region and the larger world and said this is the reason Yerevan has established close ties with the Islamic Republic, IRNA citing ARMENPRESS. reported.
“Iran is a very important player in regional and international affairs and this is why we are in close contact with our Iranian partners,” Nicole Pashinyan said in an interview with public television on Saturday. Said when asked about Iran’s role in the rift between Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan.
In a recent phone call with Iranian officials, Pashinyan said Iran has always played a constructive role in de-escalating tensions and resolving crises.
“Armenia is seeking to deepen its ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran in all areas,” he said.
Prime Minister Pashinyan visited Iran on November 1 as head of a senior political and economic delegation. He visited Tehran at the invitation of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.
During the visit, Iran and Armenia set a goal of developing trade and economic relations to the level of $3 billion.
At a joint press conference with President Raisi, Pashinyan said he agreed with the Iranian president’s views on the need to establish lasting peace and security in the Caucasus region.
During the Armenian delegation’s visit to Tehran, the two neighboring countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on energy cooperation.
Under the MOU, the two sides agreed to extend their previous agreement to replace gas with electricity by the end of Iran’s calendar year 1409 (March 2031).
Iran currently exports 1 million cubic meters of gas to Armenia, doubling that.
Pashinyan says Armenia ready to receive more gas from Iran
In an interview with public television, Pashinyan said Armenia is ready to receive more gas from Iran and supply more power to Iran after the construction of the third Iran-Armenia transmission line is completed. Said there was
The Prime Minister mentioned an MOU on the extension of the ‘Gas for Electricity’ contract signed in Iran. “The essence of the contract is to receive gas from Iran, produce electricity with that gas, and of course return electricity to Iran at a certain rate in order to make a profit. The existing power line Iran is completely overloaded. And in order for us to consume and generate more gas, we need to be able to export more gas to Iran. It will be obtained after the construction of the second transmission line is completed.Once construction is completed.Of course, we are ready to have more gas to supply Iran with more power.”
Referring to the question whether this could not be seen as a negative step in the background of Armenian-Russian relations, Pashinyan said that Armenia will generate electricity on the gas it receives, return it to Iran, and return part of it to the domestic Needs said to use. “That system exists. There is no contradiction with Russia,” he said.
