Leonid Gusyev: Tehran will be soon funding Iran-Armenia railway

The economic sanctions, imposed by the international community against Iran in 2006 in regards to Tehran’s nuclear program, are officially removed. Iran is open to international trade and financial transactions. Removing sanctions against Iran will have a positive impact on the economic development of Armenia and Russia. At the initial stage, having access to $ 55 billion of its foreign exchange reserves, Iran and Armenia may implement a number of projects that have long remained frozen, — says Leonid Gusyev, senior fellow at MGIMO. “Tehran and Yerevan have three main projects — the Iran-Armenia railway, the construction of the pipeline, and the Meghri HPP. I believe that these projects will soon receive funding from the Iranian side,” told RUSARMINFO the Russian political scientist.

According to Gusyev, in these conditions, in addition to bilateral cooperation Armenia has all chances to become a center of trade between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union. “The supplies of goods to the EEU through the Armenian-Iranian border will allow Armenia to become a transit center in the framework of the Union and receive good dividends. It’s safe to say that the implementation of trade relations between Iran and the EEU will revive the Armenian economy,” noted Leonid Gusyev. Note: In January-October of 2015, the exports of goods from the countries of the EEU to Iran exceeded $ 1.4 billion, while imports comprised $ 445 million.