After the lifting of the sanctions against Iran by the West, many officials and political analysts of Armenia began to talk about the possible developments of Armenia-Iran relations, launching of cooperation in new spheres, trade and other new opportunities.
Project Manager of the “Union of Informed Citizens” NGO, Daniel Ioannisyan thinks that Armenia is unable to run an independent foreign and economic policy. “It should be done not by Yerevan with Tehran but Moscow with Tehran. Moscow will negotiate with Iran within the framework of the Eurasian economic relations, and we will not be able to run separate negotiations on various issues.”
In an interview with “Aravot”, Daniel Ioannisyan noted that fortunately, at this point, the relations between Moscow and Iran are positive, “However, Iran now is very quickly developing its relations with Europe. We saw them buying more than 100 aircraft from Airbus. Generally, the areas of economic cooperation are many, starting from Meghri HHP and ended by the possibility of building an oil refinery in Meghri.”
According to him, it is too late for a part of these possibilities, “The plant was topical years ago when there was a shortage of gasoline and diesel fuel. Nobody would want to make investments in Iran as there is a risk that if you build a plant today, the next day, NATO might have bombed it. Now, there is no such danger. There are good conditions in the Iranian side now than here.”
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Daniel Ioannisyan noted that Armenia should use the leverage of Iranian cheap gas to reduce the price of gas supplied from Russia, “The countries that have no alternative are also able to receive a better gas price and have no buy gas from Russia. We have an alternative, which we should to remind the Russians when we are negotiating on the price gas.” Interesting developments are taking place in Georgia connected with the gas, “Rumors were spread that about 5 trillion cubic meters of natural gas is discovered, which will soon be exported. If this information is true, we will have another alternative to import gas.”
According to the Program Manager of the “Union of Informed Citizens” NGO, the agreement on gas for electricity is quite exciting, which allows importing a large quantity of gas and the Yerevan thermal power plants produce electricity in quite favorable terms. “If their size would grow up, we would be able to have cheaper electricity. The Government of Armenia granted the franchise of exporting high voltage electricity to be built with Iran to “Gazprom-Armenia”. Therefore, the opportunity to grow these barters by Yerevan TPP and reduce the price for electricity is closed.”
Ashot ISRAELYAN
