Alireza Shahmirzaei, former deputy minister of Industry, Mine and Trade, warned about the unsustainable level of energy consumption in Iran. He stated that Iran’s electricity and gas consumption is nearly three times higher than that of Turkey, while domestic industries are struggling with frequent energy shortages—a critical challenge for economic growth.
He emphasized that the country does not suffer from a lack of energy resources, but from poor consumption management. “Raising energy prices is not a practical solution,” he said. “Instead, a portion of the excess energy used by households should be allocated to industries.”
Shahmirzaei criticized the recurring policy of cutting electricity to major industries whenever there is an energy deficit. “This disrupts production and can damage our export potential,” he noted.
He also pointed to the seasonal gap in gas consumption, especially among non-major industries, which can reach 160 million cubic meters daily between summer and winter. He proposed allowing industries to buy surplus energy from consumers, encouraging efficiency and preventing sudden blackouts.
