Iran to meet Armenian energy demands

TEHRAN, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Iran will supply Armenia with enough natural gas through the Iran-Armenia pipeline to meet its energy demands for the winter, officials said.

Reza Kasaei Zadeh, director of the Iranian Gas Export Co., told the Iranian Students' News Agency Tuesday Iran would surpass the original estimated gas exports of 2.5 million cubic meters per year.

"Iran will pump 3 million cubic meters of gas to Armenia during this winter," he said.

The $220 million, 87-mile pipeline began construction in 2007 during a ceremony attended by Armenian President Robert Kocharian and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to bring diversity to the region.

Russia was a primary exporter of natural gas to Armenia.

Construction on the pipeline concluded Sept. 12.