Georgian officials say Tbilisi considers Iran as an alternative gas supplier for Georgia, which currently depends only the Russian giants GazProm and Itera for its gas supply.
Officials say that the project is a long-term one and may be launched as early as next year. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili discussed this issue during his visit to Iran in early July.
?Iranian gas can serve as an alternative source of gas supply for Georgia only in cases of emergency situations and in the case that Russia reduces or stops the gas supply[to Georgia]. It can not be a permanent supplier for us, as Iranian gas is more expensive,? Teona Doliashvili, a spokesperson for the Georgian Energy Ministry, told Civil Georgia.
There are two potential delivery routes of gas from Iran into Georgia ? one via Azerbaijan and another through Armenia.
In Soviet times Georgia received gas from Iran via Azerbaijan; however the Azerbaijani pipeline needs rehabilitation, which, according to the Georgian Energy Ministry, would cost around USD 2 million.
According to the Georgian Energy Ministry, Iran is also interested in Georgia as a transit country to export its gas to Europe.
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