Speaking at a coordination meeting on Friday between the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics and the Ministry of Energy, Pezeshkian said many energy-saving measures can be implemented through public awareness and behavioral change without relying solely on administrative agreements or bureaucratic frameworks.

He highlighted the armed forces’ capacity to help advance energy-efficiency programs, noting that their disciplined organizational structure could accelerate the adoption of optimized consumption practices among personnel and their families, creating nationwide benefits.

Pezeshkian said economic warfare poses challenges more complex than military conflict, arguing that efforts to disrupt access to resources needed for water, electricity, gas and public welfare are aimed at undermining public confidence and national governance. As a result, he said, energy management and efficiency have become key pillars of economic security and national resilience.

According to government estimates, a 10% reduction in energy consumption would save the equivalent of about 900,000 barrels of oil per day without requiring new investment, relying instead on improved consumption patterns.

The president called for faster implementation of energy-efficiency projects and criticized lengthy project timelines, saying the country can no longer afford years of delays in strategic initiatives.

He also attributed part of the country’s energy imbalances to uneven development and projects launched without sufficient consideration for infrastructure, resource availability and sustainability requirements.

Pezeshkian outlined four priorities for relevant agencies: standardizing energy-efficient equipment, preparing a plan to add 9,000 megawatts of electricity generation through power plant efficiency upgrades, securing financing for optimization projects and developing a comprehensive education program to promote efficient energy use.

Officials also reviewed plans to convert thermal power plants into combined-cycle facilities, a project expected to add about 9,000 MW of effective generation capacity and save 56 million cubic meters of natural gas per day without increasing fuel consumption.