ARMENIA-IRAN ENERGY COOPERATION MAY EXPAND IF IRANIAN NUCLEAR ISSUE SOLVED – EXPERT

YEREVAN, March 31. /ARKA/. Settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue
may facilitate expansion of Armenia-Iran energy cooperation, expert
Rudik Yaralyan said.

There is potential for further development of cooperation with Iran
in various fields, including energy, and the settlement could provide
additional opportunities, Yaralyan told a press conference on Tuesday.

Iran and six world powers (five permanent UN Security Council members
and Germany) are currently holding another round of talks trying to
break an impasse in nuclear negotiations in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Officials warned that deep disagreements remained on several points
but said the two sides had been closing in on a preliminary deal
that could be summarized in a brief document which may or may not be
released, according to Reuters.

Yaralyan said the political document was expected to be initialed by
March 31 to serve as a basis for the final agreement.

According to Yaralyan, dates are manipulated and an attempt is
made to put additional pressure on Iran and create an atmosphere of
inevitability to make a decision within the deadlines.

The Iranian nuclear issue is directly connected with the processes
in the region, the expert said. Oil price stabilization is a serious
challenge today, he said. If the issue is settled, Iran, as an oil
exporting country, may start playing a major role in the region,
Yaralyan said.

Armenia and Iran have built quite friendly relationship and have been
implementing major economic projects over the last years. Yerevan and
Tehran intend to build the two most powerful hydro power plants in the
South Caucasus, with annual output of 793 million kilowatt/hour each.

The countries have considered also the possibility of building together
an oil pipeline and a refinery; the project is frozen for the time
being though.

The joint Iran-Armenia project of North-South road construction will
give Armenia an alternate way out from the region. The only way
connecting Armenia with the outer world today is via rail through
Georgia. -0–