Iran ready to link EAEU states to Chabahar Port: Minister
Iran is ready to provide access to Chabahar Port to all EAEU member countries, said Iran’s Minister of Industry, Mines, and Trade, Mohammad Atabak during the EAEU-Iran Business Dialogue panel discussion within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Forum in Yerevan on Monday.
According to him, the geographical position of the country contributes to the organization of cargo transit to Europe. Various transportation corridors connecting the Black Sea with the Caspian Sea and the Indian Ocean pass through Iran, as reported by alphanews.am.
Atabak noted that access to the Chabahar Port in the Indian Ocean is one of the directions of cooperation with the EAEU.
Speaking at the event, Armenia’s Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan reminded that Armenia is the only EAEU country that has a land border with Iran.
According to the statistical committee of Armenia, the trade between Armenia and Iran is about $700 million, the export to Iran is about $100 million, and the import is $600 million, the minister said.
Also, during the panel discussion, Armenia’s Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Hakob Vardanyan provided details about the construction of the third power transmission line between Armenia and Iran.
Vardanyan reminded that the 400-kV transmission line will have a capacity of 1,200 megawatts per hour. According to him, the project is in its final stages, with 85% of the line already completed.
The total length of the line will be 280 km, stretching from Razdan to the border with Iran, and a 400 kV substation will be built in the Syunik region. Additionally, there are plans to construct another transmission line toward the border with Georgia.
“Upon completion of the entire project, it will be possible to connect four countries: Iran, Armenia, Georgia, and Russia, with a particular emphasis on linking Iran and Russia. For the first time, there will be an opportunity to connect two such large energy systems,” Vardanyan noted.
The deputy minister believes that the third Armenia-Iran power transmission line will benefit the entire EAEU region. According to him, once the new lines are built, Armenia will be able to export electricity in two directions.
“We already have a surplus of electricity; we can produce almost as much as we consume domestically,” Vardanyan concluded.