YEREVAN. – Nairit chemical [rubber] plant of Armenian capital city Yerevan can fully operate with the Iranian natural gas.

Vazgen Safaryan, Head of the Union of Domestic Goods Producers, stated the above-said at a press conference on Thursday. 

In his words, a barter arrangement can be made with Iran, and on the principle of “gas for rubber.”  

“If Nairit reopens, it will use 100-120 million cubic meters of gas annually, which is not that much. In return for gas, we would give Nairit-produced rubber to Iran. And we can sell the rest of the product in international markets. 

“Now, there are solely six such plants in the world that produce synthetic chloroprene rubber, and our plant is losing its standing in the world,” Safaryan said.   

As per Vazgen Safaryan, if this idea is brought to fruition, the measures will suffice to reequip Nairit and pay back the company’s debts, including the unpaid salaries of its employees.