Sputnik News- Russia is going to sign a contract with Iran to supply turbines for thermal power plants in Crimea, the CEO of state corporation Rostec, Sergei Chemezov, said.





During a media briefing in�Abu Dhabi, Chemezov announced that Russia plans to�sign a contract with�Iran for�the supply of�turbines for�thermal power stations in�Crimea.

According to�him, negotiations with�Iran are at�an advanced stage and Rotec expects to�install the turbines before�the end of�this year.
�We have problems with�turbines after�German and other European countries banned their supply to�Crimea. We are now in�the final stages of�negotiations and we hope that, barring any additional US and European sanctions, we will be able to�install these turbines before�this year is out,� Chemezov said.


Even though Iran has not recognized Crimea�s reunification with�Russia, it is ready to�assist Moscow�s efforts to�ensure an unfettered energy supply on�the Black Sea peninsula.

In an interview with Sputnik Persian, Tehran-based political analyst Shoeib Bahman said that economic cooperation with�Crimea could speed up�the process of�the international recognition of�the region as�part of�the Russian Federation.

�When Iran fell victim to�Western sanctions, Russia lent it a helping hand. Iran is now returning the favor and hopes that this will help Russia deal with�the problems at�hand,� Shoeib Bahman said.

He mentioned the great deal of�attention Tehran and Moscow paid to�technological and other exchanges between�the two countries.

He added that Iran prioritized business ties with�Russia and that the deal on�the supply of�turbines to�Crimea was dictated by�the longtime and mutually beneficial economic cooperation between�the two countries.
�We are not raising the issue of�Crimea�s recognition now, but�we believe that, at�the end of�the day, this contract could serve as�a basis for�our dialogue on�this issue.�


�Our countries are acting fully in�line with�international agreements. There are countries which are willing to�invest in�Russia, sign contracts with�it and supply equipment in�line with�international law and conventions. Iran is not an exception,� Shoeib Bahman concluded.

This year, Russia�s Tekhnopromexport Company is scheduled to�commission two combined-cycle thermal power plants 470 MW each in�Simferopol and Sevastopol, which should resolve the energy problems in�Crimea, which is cut off�from supplies from�Ukraine.

The Crimean peninsula seceded from�Ukraine and reunified with�Russia after�more than�96 percent of�local voters supported the move in�a referendum in�March 2014. Kiev, as�well as�the European Union, the United States and their allies, did not recognize the move and consider the peninsula to�be occupied territory.

They imposed a number of�individual and economic sanctions against�Russia, driving Russia to�retaliate with�a ban on�various imports from�Europe.