U.S. and Israeli Strikes Trigger Iranian Energy Crisis
Iran faces severe winter blackouts and heating shortages after U.S. and Israeli military strikes destroyed 20% of its natural gas production capacity.
Military strikes by the United States and Israel have destroyed approximately 20% of Iran's daily natural gas production capacity, targeting processing facilities at the South Pars gas field. The attacks have created a projected domestic shortfall of 400 million cubic meters of gas per day, threatening a country where gas-fired plants generate 80% of all electricity.
Iranian officials warn that the loss of infrastructure will lead to widespread power outages and heating shortages during the winter. In response, the government has authorized public-sector remote work two days a week and called for a 10% reduction in nationwide energy consumption. Seyed Hamid Pourmohammadi, head of the Planning and Budget Organization, warned that declining pipeline pressure could force gas cuts to entire cities.
To mitigate the crisis, Tehran is attempting to accelerate a 2024 agreement to import 55 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia via Azerbaijan. The government is also considering the use of mazut, a polluting heavy fuel oil, to keep power stations operational. President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that the attacks on energy infrastructure threaten both the domestic economy and global energy security.
