Opposition questions Iran gas deal

UPI: Georgia’s opposition lawmakers have demanded that the government make public the details of a deal struck with Iran to buy natural gas.
United Press International

Georgia’s opposition lawmakers have demanded that the government make public the details of a deal struck with Iran to buy natural gas.

Speaking Thursday at a news conference in the capital, Tbilisi, Zviad Dzidziguri of the Democratic Front faction complained that members of parliament had only learned about the deal from Russian news media, RIA Novosti reported.

Another opposition lawmaker, Ivliane Khaindrava of the Georgian Republican Party, said that on the day two explosions interrupted the supply of Russian gas to Georgia, Energy Minister Nikoloz Gilauri was on a visit to Iran — implying that he knew in advance that Georgia would urgently need Iranian gas.

Khaindrava quoted Iranian and Azerbaijani media reports in which Iran’s deputy petroleum minister said Georgia would have to pay $233 per 1,000 cubic meters of Iranian natural gas, and that the Islamic Republic would provide 30 million cubic meters — more than 7.9 billion gallons — of gas in 30 days.

Georgian authorities have been keeping the gas prices secret, but an Iranian official told Russian media earlier Thursday that the price would be $230, as compared to the $110 that the Russian natural gas company Gazprom was seeking.