Gas shortage in Iran: the authorities predict a worsening of the situation.
Iran's government has warned of worsening domestic gas shortages this winter as a result of damage to processing capacity during the conflict in the Middle East, which could lead to cuts in supplies.
"If the consumption levels are high, there may be disruptions in the gas supply throughout the country, including in Tehran," government spokeswoman Fatima Mohajerani said at a press conference in Tehran.
The country faced several gas shortages and power outages even before the conflict, which began with the US-Israeli air campaign on February 28, and the situation has now only worsened.
Mohajerni anticipates a gas supply shortfall of 430 million cubic meters this year, compared to about 300 million cubic meters in previous years.
Iran, a major oil producer, controls part of the world's largest natural gas field, but sometimes struggles to meet domestic demand due to outdated equipment, exacerbated by international sanctions. Its ports are now under American blockade.
The CEO of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), Saeed Tabakoli, said this month that four processing plants were damaged during the first phase of the conflict earlier this year, initially reducing capacity by 230 million cubic meters, of which about 100 million have now been restored, Reuters reported.
The company warned last week that 11 of Iran's 31 provinces could face supply difficulties this winter, citing Mazandaran on the Caspian coast and Golestan and northern Khorasan along Iran's border with Turkmenistan as the most vulnerable.
Political leaders called on Iranians to use less gas. The Speaker of the Parliament, Mohammad Baker Kalibaf, on Sunday called on the Iranians to reduce gas consumption by 10% for the winter.