Speaking via videoconference at the opening ceremony of the fifth Martyr Soleimani Scientific, Cultural and Artistic Festival on June 6, Tavakoli said meaningful and targeted actions, when pursued consistently, can deliver long-term benefits to all stakeholders.

Reviewing the achievements of the festival’s previous four editions, he said NIGC has reached a significant level of maturity across multiple areas and expressed hope that this year’s event will place greater emphasis on practical, operational outcomes.

Tavakoli said infrastructure reconstruction, alongside consumption management and efficiency improvements, must be pursued vigorously before the onset of the winter season.

He stressed that the festival should avoid symbolic initiatives and instead produce tangible, usable results, particularly in the area of energy conservation, which remains one of the company’s key priorities this year.

Highlighting the role of women in managing household energy use, Tavakoli said educational articles and practical content could help strengthen families’ contribution to optimizing natural gas consumption and expand awareness efforts across the country.

The deputy oil minister for gas affairs also pointed to the gas sector’s 40,000-member Basij network, saying that effective engagement of this capacity could significantly advance public participation in demand management through the dissemination of timely and accurate information.

Tavakoli noted that more than 470 corrective measures have been defined and implemented across the gas supply chain to improve consumption management, many of them involving structural and long-term reforms.

He added that many countries in the region are facing energy constraints and have concluded that previous consumption patterns are unsustainable. As a result, he said, demand management should be viewed as a national responsibility rather than solely a government concern.

Tavakoli expressed hope that the outcomes of the fifth Martyr Soleimani Festival, including educational content, cultural initiatives and scientific works, would support both the gas industry and the broader national effort to improve energy efficiency.