Armenia could transit Iranian natural gas

Armenia will receive Iranian natural gas whenever it needs it, Armenian Minister for Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsesyan has stated. At present Armenia receives natural gas from Russia via Georgia.

The Iran-Armenia gas pipeline can transit around 2.5 billion cubic metres annually. Movsesyan has stated that Armenia could transit Iranian oil to other countries, however such transit needs two parties, the supplier and the buyer, who does not yet exist.

Why Armenia built this pipeline, if it does not need it, raises speculation. There are two possible options, either because it wants to transit gas but does not know in which direction it will do this, or because it is hardly possible at present to transit gas through Armenia without also going through Georgia. Armenia wants to secure its energy safety in case Russia for some reason stops supplying Armenia via Georgia, but the latter possibility contains a certain risk for Georgia.