Mohammad-Sadeq Jokar warned that if the energy deficit continues, it will not only hinder national development but also impact the country’s energy, economic and security systems.

Jokar spoke Tuesday at a specialized meeting titled “Challenges in Drafting and Monitoring Regulations to Reform Consumption Patterns and Their Impact on Natural Gas Imbalance.” Noting that the Seventh Development Plan stresses avoiding past failures, he said a framework is needed to diagnose current challenges.

Jokar highlighted the importance of government-parliament collaboration to meet the plan’s objectives, stating that while past operational efforts have been ineffective, future-focused analysis shows that prolonging the energy imbalance will harm development and destabilize energy, economic and security systems.

Private sector, think-tanks must collaborate 

On challenges in regulating consumption patterns, Jokar cited regulatory inflation as a major issue. He said the Oil Ministry and National Iranian Gas Company are working with parliament and other bodies to identify and prioritize challenges, with the immediate goal of preventing a deeper gas crisis and then managing it.

He stressed a new approach, leveraging expertise within the Oil Ministry and other bodies, and said efforts are underway to engage the private sector and think tanks on gas challenges.

Jokar called scientific collaboration and shared operational experiences essential first steps. The Institute for International Energy Studies plans a series of meetings with parliament, the Energy Commission and experts to implement the Seventh Development Plan, aiming to avoid past mistakes and secure the country’s energy stability.