Ali Rabiei made the remarks Monday, at the closing ceremony of a campaign aimed at reducing energy consumption by 10 percent.

He described the initiative as a socially driven project that succeeded through the cooperation of stakeholders. Rabiei said the core issue lies in the perception of energy imbalances, which has created widespread problems. He noted that the issue has multiple causes and that fostering collective understanding is critical.

“The first step in solving energy imbalance is speaking transparently with society,” he said. “Energy and water have been international concerns for more than a century. These are not just technical or engineering challenges—they are political issues with international implications, and they require new approaches and perspectives.”

Explaining energy imbalance in simple terms

Rabiei highlighted the concept of the “era of scarcity” as a central framework for addressing energy imbalance. “Scarcity is fundamentally a social issue, and the solutions must also be social,” he said, adding that smart pricing, narrative-building, and social institution development are key tools.

He stressed the importance of raising public awareness, noting that the first step is transparency in statistics and fearless, open communication with society. Turning energy optimization campaigns into a part of everyday culture, leveraging media and education, and using smart pricing to benefit lower-income groups are all essential measures.

“If we explain energy imbalances in simple terms and foster public understanding, we will succeed,” Rabiei said. “Otherwise, foreign imports and investment alone will not take us where we need to go without accompanying social reforms.”