Gholamreza Dehqan-Nasserabadi, a member of Parliament’s Energy Committee, said the country’s fuel imbalance stems from an unresolved problem that has persisted for more than three decades.

He cited the growing number of new vehicles, failure to scrap aging vehicles on time and delays in maximizing the use of electric and hybrid vehicles as factors behind excessive gasoline consumption.

Dehqan-Nasserabadi pointed to a widening gap between gasoline consumption growth and the efficiency of the transportation fleet, saying efforts to change consumption patterns would be incomplete without structural reforms in the industry.

He said the government should pursue a package of measures simultaneously, including making public transportation free or reducing its cost, renewing the aging vehicle fleet and importing fuel-efficient vehicles.

The lawmaker also said people need to see tangible benefits from fuel savings. If they see that the benefits of reduced fuel consumption are directly invested in expanding public transportation, he said, they will be more likely to support conservation policies.

Solving the fuel imbalance requires a comprehensive policy package because energy costs directly affect daily life across sectors, including transportation, food, housing and services, Dehqan-Nasserabadi said.