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(EEU). Due to the scarcity of the US dollar thanks to sanctions on both countries, trade between them will be conducted in the rial and ruble. Iran has also sided with the Russians in blaming the US for the failure to reach the finishing line of the Iran nuclear deal.
Mehrabian said that the country has plans to connect the Iranian national electricity grid with that of Russia through Azerbaijan and Armenia.
He said that he has had recent meetings with his counterparts from Russia and Azerbaijan where the ground was prepared for synchronising Iran’s national grid with that of Russia as quickly as possible.
Iran’s national grid has connections with all the neighbouring countries, the minister said, adding, “we are trying to synchronise networks with those of Qatar, Russia and some other countries.
“We will receive electricity in some days and will export electricity in some other days.”
Different countries have different peak times, Mehrabian said, noting that when Iran faces peak days, it can receive electricity from other countries and when Iran’s production is more than its consumption, it will be possible for the country to export electricity.
He, however, noted that Iran’s power exports are mainly more than imports from the neighbouring countries.
Mohammad Ali Farahnakian, advisor to Iran's energy minister for international affairs, said early in January that the operation of connecting power networks among Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran will begin in May.
9.1.15 Defence sector news
Iran ranks among top 15 military spenders for first time in decades
Experts question exactly what Iran’s drone factory in Dushanbe will produce
Iran ranked as the 14th largest military spender in the world last year, the first year in decades that it joined the top 15, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in its latest report.
Tehran raised its military budget for the first time in four years, to $24.6bn, marking an annual increase of 11%. It occurred despite economic hardship faced by a population assailed by the consequences of many years of sanctions in response to Iran’s nuclear programme.
The defence budget of Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) expanded by 14%, accounting for 34% of Iran’s total military spending, the report said. It is the US designation of the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organisation (FTO) that threatens to derail the attempt by Iran and world powers to relaunch the 2015 nuclear deal, or JCPOA, that would curb Iran’s nuclear programme in return for the dropping of sanctions. Iran is demanding the designation is dropped. The US has so far shown no willingness to agree to that move. The IRGC supports allied militias across Middle East conflict zones, including Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Iran's arch-foe, Israel, believed to be the Middle East's only nuclear-armed nation, increased its military budget by 3.1% to $24.3bn last year, according to SIPRI.
Experts reportedly doubt that the Iranian combat drone factory unveiled in Tajikistan last week will be producing the Abigail-2 (or Ababil-2) strike and reconnaissance drone.
Iranian officials announced that the Abigail-2 would roll off the production lines at the Dushanbe plant when they revealed the facility.
Video of the unveiling ceremony showed what appeared to be an attack version of that drone, which was added to the arsenal of the naval branch of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) last year, according to
68 IRAN Country Report June 2022 www.intellinews.com