Iran counts on importing gas from Azerbaijan. In 2011 Tehran will import 1 billion cubic meters of the fuel. The agreement of 5-year provision was signed in Baku between the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and the National Iran Gas Export Company (NIGEC).
Iran is the forth importer of Azeri gas along with Turkey, Georgia and Russia. Due to this deal Azerbaijan will export gas on south route. Even though the amount of exported gas (1 billion cubic meters) is not huge, the parties agreed to enhance it in the future.
According to the president of SOCAR Rovnag Abdullayev Azerbaijan possesses sufficient gas resources. Gas export to Iran will start in February 2011. Azerbaijan and Iran are connected by the gas pipeline Gazi-Magomed-Astara-Bind-Biand. This pipeline is a part of the major one Gazakh-Astara-Iran, which started to operate in 1971.
For increasing volumes of gas export in Iran SOCAR will extend capacity of the booster station in Astara on the border between two countries. Moreover, reconstruction of the pipeline itself is presupposed between Kazi-Magomed and the Iranian border. After the end of these works the contract on long-term provision is to be signed.
Gas importing from Azerbaijan enables Iran to solve energy problems in the north regions of the country. The deal seems to be the other break of the sanction blockade.
Despite the diversification of export routes, Azerbaijan gains the ability of a guaranteed gas provision of Nakhichevan and strengthens its position on other export directions. Iran and Russia are best examples of alternative export routes to Western ones. The deal with Iran is a direct address to the EU to do anything in the sphere of Nabucco construction.
Baku is aimed at providing its independent energy policy. Azerbaijan has never supported the policy of sanctions against Iran. The deal is an evident of ability countries of the Caspian region to build mutual beneficial relations.
Eugeny Krishtalev, exclusively to VK
