ARMENIAN AND IRAN NOT DISCUSS ISSUE OF TRANSFERRING IRANIAN-ARMENIAN
GAS MAIN TO RUSSIA

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
July 12 2006

YEREVAN, July 12. /ARKA/. Armenian and Iran did not discuss the issue
of transferring the Iranian-Armenian gas main to Russia, Armenian
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan reported during the joint press
conference with Lebanese Foreign Minister Fauwzi Salloukh.

On June 30, Vice-President of "Gasprom" Russian company
Alexander Ryazanov reported that the company plans to purchase the
Iranian-Armenia gas main. Iranian Vice Ambassador to Armenia Ali Akbar
Jokar reported that no changes have been made to the Armenian-Iranian
contract on the gas-main construction.

The Iran-Armenia gas main construction project on the Armenian
territory is valued at $120mln. Iran funds the project, and Armenia
is to supply power to Iran in return.

The construction of the first Armenian section of the gas main
Megri-Kajaran started on November 30, 2004. The Iranian "Sanir" company
will construct the second section Kajaran-Sisian-Jermuk-Ararat. The
construction project is planned to have been completed by
2007. R.O. –0–