IRAN REPLACING RUSSIA AS ARMENIA’S ENERGY SUPPLIER

PRESS TV
March 25 2009
Iran

Armenia has started the construction of a 240-million-dollar pipeline
to import oil products from Tabriz oil refinery in north eastern Iran.

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan told
journalists that the 300-km pipeline will pump Iranian oil products
including gasoline and diesel fuel into Armenia.

In December 2008 Iran and Armenia reached an agreement in a number
of fields including energy, oil, petrochemistry and tourism.

"The pipeline would be a safe route for importing oil products to
Armenia that will increase security of energy supply and decrease
the cost of fuel import," Movsisyan said on Tuesday.

Iran and Armenia have also inaugurated a 140-km gas pipeline intended
to reduce Yerevan’s reliance on Russian gas. The 220-million-dollar
project was launched in March 2007.

Russia’s recent row with Ukraine, which disrupted gas flow to Europe
during Christmas holidays, triggered many countries to consider
alternative sources of energy in a bid to cut their dependency
on Russia.

Based on agreements signed by Iran and Armenia, for each cubic meter
of Iranian gas, Armenia will return 3 kilowatt of electricity to Iran.