Payvand’s Iran News …
1/23/07
Iranian electricity transfer to Azerbaijan to hit 800mw: envoy
Baku, Jan 23, IRNA – An Iranian diplomat said in Baku Tuesday that
electricity supplied by Iran to Azerbaijan will increase from the
current 280mw to 800mw next Iranian year after an expansion project
for erection of a number of transfer lines is completed.
Iranian Ambassador to Baku Afshar Soleymani told IRNA that the project
includes erection of 350-km, small-scale transfer lines and electricity
stations currently underway in border regions with the cooperation
of the two countries and funded by a USD 75 million credit given by
the Export Development Bank of Iran.
He added that the EDBI had also allocated a USD 40 million credit
for construction of the Astara-Baku road.
He said Iran has allocated USD 3 million for development projects in
Azerbaijan, adding that Tehran would take further steps to help Baku
meet its electricity needs within the framework of an agreement which
is to be signed in the future.
Pointing to his country’s consular activities in Azerbaijan and
facilitation of visits by Azeri nationals to Iran, the envoy said
the Iranian embassy in Baku issues an average of 200 visas daily to
Azeri nationals, charging the government fee of USD 44 per visa.
"The Iranian embassy in Baku issues one-month visas for Azeri nationals
in 24 hours while the Azeri side issues one-week visas for Iranians
in a month," Soleymani said.
He said that travel of Azeri nationals to Iran is being facilitated
by the government through agreements signed with the Azeri government.
"Azeri nationals in border regions can enter up to 45km inside
Iran from the border four times a year with no need for a visa." He
said that Iran also issues one-week tourist visas at Imam Khomeini
International Airport for Azeri nationals.
Moreover, the ambassador said that Iran has also regulations
facilitating travel by people in the Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan
to Iran.
He said that the demands of Iranian and Azeri nationals for
cancellation of visas will be met taking into account the friendly
ties of the two neighboring countries.
