Mohammad Ka’ab-Omeir said gas makes up more than 70% to 80% of the country's energy mix at a time when production and reliable supply face limits, a serious challenge. Waste must be curbed, he said, while the energy mix is diversified and electricity, renewables and clean fuels are developed.

The world is moving away from fossil fuels toward clean energy, he said, and Iran should build solar power plants and other renewable sources faster.

To manage the imbalance and avoid piecemeal decisions, Ka’ab-Omeir said, the country needs a single command center, which he called an energy war room. It would coordinate policy, manage conflicts of interest among agencies and unify the supply and distribution of energy.

He described the petrochemical, steel and cement industries as drivers of production and foreign currency earnings. Gas restrictions on them could seriously damage their operations, he said, so one option worth studying is using alternative fuels in industries that can technically make the switch. That would lower gas use and support a shift to cleaner fuels, he said.

In the short term, Ka’ab-Omeir said, gas supply cannot be expected to rise significantly. Alongside efforts to change public attitudes, he said, the country should prioritize controlling consumption and reducing losses in the network.