Georgia's president has announced plans for his country to get emergency natural gas supplies from Iran to help end the country's shortage of both gas and electricity.

President Mikhail Saakashvili told cabinet members Friday that gas from Iran is expected to begin flowing into Georgia beginning Sunday or, at the latest, Monday.

Residents in the former Soviet republic have been enduring freezing weather with limited supplies after explosions on pipelines delivering Russian natural gas.

Russian authorities deny Georgian charges that they deliberately cut supplies, and insist the pipelines were sabotaged. Repairs are due to be completed by Sunday.

Georgia is heavily dependent on Russian natural gas. President Saakashvili says the agreement with Iran shows his country has alternative sources.

Millions of Georgians have also been without electricity because of a breakdown of a unit at a power station, as well as downed power lines.