Schools and government offices in 17 Iranian provinces remain closed for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday as the country grapples with a critical energy shortage.
Tehran Governor Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian urged citizens on state TV to "participate in saving electricity and gas."
To conserve energy, shopping centers in the capital have been ordered to close by 8:00 pm, with Hamidreza Rastegarpour from Tehran's Chamber of Guilds warning that non-compliance could lead to utility disconnections.
Iran's National Gas Company reported record gas consumption on Monday, with 671 million cubic meters consumed out of 858 million cubic meters injected into the national pipeline - the highest figure this year.
The ongoing energy crisis has caused widespread disruptions.
Numerous highways and streets have experienced blackouts, including a 24-hour power outage on the critical Haraz road connecting Tehran to the northern cities, disrupting essential services.
Industrial towns in Tehran and other cities have been heavily impacted.
Many schools have switched to remote learning, while others remain closed across multiple provinces.
The widespread power cuts have also sparked street protests in several towns across Tehran province, with residents expressing frustration over ongoing economic challenges and failures in energy infrastructure.
In the Avrin industrial town near Tehran, protesters were filmed burning tires along the roadside to protest against electricity disruptions. Protesters said the continuous power outages had pushed them to their economic breaking point.
These protests reflect growing public dissatisfaction with the Iranian government’s failure to effectively manage the country’s energy resources.
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