Addressing reporters on Wednesday, Mohammad Reza Jolaei said: "Due to the beginning of the cold wave in the country last week, the amount of gas consumption in the domestic sector reached 560 to 570 million cubic meters, which is about 70% of the country’s gas output.”

He added that natural gas production is now at its peak and on Tuesday this amount reached a record since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year which began on March 20 year to over 800 million cubic meters. “Gas facilities and transmission lines are fully ready to send natural gas to different parts of the country.”

The dispatching director of the National Iranian Gas Company stated: "According to the forecasts and statistics we received from the country's meteorology organization, two cold waves will enter the country from the western and northern regions as of the beginning of next week, and the effect of these two waves on air temperature is very noticeable. As a result, gas consumption will also increase.”

Jolaei added: "Considering that this cold snap is longer, it inflicts a lot of pressure on the country's gas network, and we may even consume 80% of gas in the domestic sector, which pressures the industrial sector and power plants."

"Currently, about 110 million cubic meters per day is allocated to the industrial sector and 100 million cubic meters per day to power plants, and if consumption increases in the domestic sector, this amount of gas supply to these two sectors will also decrease," Jolaei said.