Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9
By Matanat Nasibova - Trend:
Significance of the Southern Gas Corridor, which provides for the transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Europe, is far above anti-Iran sanctions for the US, Leading Expert and Analyst of the Bilig Brains Rafael Sattarov told Trend commenting on the recent order of the US President Donald Trump about the project.
The new US sanctions against Iran will not affect the Southern Gas Corridor, according to Trump's order, S&P Global Platts reported.
Trump's order contained a "natural gas project exception" that describes the SGC without naming it.
The expert said most likely the new sanctions related to the energy sector will affect the interests of large companies that do business with Iran.
"The lobbying efforts of the energy giants, SOCAR and BP, brought results and they were able to convey to the US president's team that it is unnecessary to undermine the positions of the new project that will serve the energy independence of the US allies. At the same time, Trump's order on the SGC shows the US has an understanding that this project will compete with Russian projects in Europe," said the expert.
Sattarov also noted that Azerbaijan, which has always been perceived in the region and the world primarily as an oil country, is now actively entering the world markets as a major supplier of gas, which also increases the interests of the US and Europe in Azerbaijan.