US Blockade Leaves Iran Struggling for Petrol
Iran is facing a growing petrol shortage as a US naval blockade restricts its ability to bring in fuel, a senior government official has disclosed.
Vice President Mohammad Jafar Ghaempanah said domestic petrol production was not enough to meet demand, while the blockade had made imports difficult.
“Petrol production is insufficient, and because of the US naval blockade, we cannot import it,” Ghaempanah said, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.
The shortage has led to long queues at petrol stations in several parts of Iran, adding to economic pressure as the conflict between Tehran and Washington continues.
The war began on February 28, after Iran took control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The United States later imposed a naval counter-blockade around Iranian ports.
With fuel supplies under pressure, the chief of staff to President Mohsen Haji-Mirzaei said on Monday that the government would review existing petrol quotas.
No details were given on whether the review would lead to changes in the amount of fuel available to motorists.
Ghaempanah also criticised Iran’s system of subsidising petrol, saying it benefits people who own multiple vehicles more than those without cars.
He argued that the current arrangement was unfair because vehicle owners receive greater benefits from the heavily subsidised fuel system.
Iran is one of the world’s major oil producers and has traditionally maintained some of the lowest petrol prices globally through extensive government subsidies.
Any attempt to change the pricing or distribution of petrol could therefore create fresh economic and political pressure on the government.
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