Saeid Pakseresht, director of integrated planning at the National Iranian Gas Co., said global experience shows four main approaches to managing energy consumption: regulations and standards, technology, public awareness and energy pricing.

The first approach is establishing and enforcing laws, regulations and standards that define appropriate energy consumption for different sectors, particularly industry, he said.

Iran has no shortage of relevant laws and regulations, Pakseresht said, pointing to the Energy Consumption Pattern Reform Law, enacted in 2010. Despite being more than 15 years old, the law remains progressive, although its implementation has faced challenges, he said.

Technology is the second key tool for managing energy consumption, he said, citing double-glazed windows, high-efficiency heaters and smart control systems for heating plants.

More than 100,000 heating plants across Iran have been equipped with smart systems, directly contributing to lower energy consumption, Pakseresht said.

He identified public awareness as the third factor, saying extensive efforts have been made through social media, artificial intelligence and other modern communication tools.

The media has an important role to play, but simply broadcasting educational messages is not enough, Pakseresht said. Energy conservation must become part of the daily behavior of both the public and officials.

He also highlighted cooperation with NIGC's public relations department on “message engineering,” which he described as communicating information in language and terminology that audiences can easily understand.

Energy pricing is the fourth factor in consumption management, Pakseresht said, arguing that the price of a commodity reflects its value.

Iran introduced an updated energy-pricing mechanism in 2025 after about 14 years, with the new system taking effect at the beginning of October, he said.

An analysis conducted by groups outside NIGC, while accounting for factors such as temperature, showed that the pricing reform reduced household gas consumption by more than 5% during the second half of 2025, Pakseresht said.

Gas Reliance Too High

More than 70% of Iran's energy mix currently depends on natural gas, a level of reliance Pakseresht described as inefficient and potentially risky because excessive dependence on a single energy carrier can create vulnerabilities under exceptional circumstances.

Countries around the world are diversifying their energy mixes to strengthen energy security and reduce vulnerability, he said, adding that Iran must similarly develop other energy sources alongside natural gas.

Iran's abundant gas reserves and the economic and environmental advantages of natural gas previously encouraged policies aimed at increasing gas's share of the energy mix, Pakseresht said.

“Today, however, we must accept that dependence on gas for more than 70% of the country's energy mix is not appropriate,” he said, calling for plans to diversify the mix.

Energy policies must be revised with an eye toward future developments and global trends, he said, noting the world's growing shift toward clean and renewable energy.

Iran should both align with that global trend and increase the share of other energy carriers in its domestic energy mix, Pakseresht said.

Gas Industry Turns to Renewables

With renewable energy development included in Iran's broader energy policies, the gas industry is required to implement related programs and is pursuing initiatives beyond its formal obligations, he said.

Several large solar power projects backed by the gas industry are being prepared for implementation and have been included in the company's plans, Pakseresht said.

Looking ahead over the next five years, he identified the country's energy imbalance as the gas industry's biggest challenge and said addressing the imbalance should be its top priority.

There are two main ways to reduce the imbalance: increase production or manage and reduce consumption, Pakseresht said.

“If consumption continues to rise unchecked and excessively, simply increasing production will not resolve the imbalance,” he said. “We must first prevent energy waste.”

Private Firms Join Balancing Effort

Damage to South Pars gas refineries during enemy attacks resulted in the loss of 230 million cubic meters per day of the country's gas-processing capacity, Pakseresht said.

Although NIGC personnel have been working continuously to restore the lost capacity, about 100 million cubic meters per day is expected to be recovered before winter, he said.

Some processing capacity will nevertheless remain unavailable, adding to the country's existing energy imbalance, Pakseresht said.

He called for public participation to help the country get through the coming winter with the minimum possible impact, urging consumers to manage their energy use and support the gas industry.

Pakseresht also highlighted the role of private-sector “karvar” companies in efforts to address the imbalance. The companies represent a partnership among the private sector, government and consumers to manage consumption and generate energy savings, he said.

More than 100 contracts have now been signed with karvar companies in various provinces and sectors, with a target of saving more than 1 billion cubic meters of natural gas in 2026, Pakseresht said.

Rethinking Past Decisions

Asked about the biggest mistake in the gas industry's past planning, Pakseresht said Iran should have exercised greater caution over the past two decades to prevent natural gas dependence from reaching its current level.

Other energy carriers and methods could have been used to meet people's needs, he said.

For example, extending gas supplies to a remote village in an area with relatively mild weather may improve residents' welfare, but it may not be the most economically efficient decision, Pakseresht said.

Providing welfare and ensuring social justice for all citizens is essential, he said, but social justice does not necessarily mean supplying every part of the country with the same type of energy.

Instead, each region's energy needs and living standards can be met through solutions tailored to its climate and local conditions, Pakseresht said.