Esmaeil Hosseini, describing the committee’s Sunday session attended by Saeid Tavakoli, managing director of NIGC, said the meeting included officials from the Oil Ministry, the Plan and Budget Organization, the Targeted Subsidies Organization, and members of the Energy Committee. During the session, the deputy oil minister for gas affairs presented a report on the revised gas tariff structure.

Hosseini said the plan’s reduction in the number of consumption tiers is a positive step that will create more meaningful differences between pricing levels to influence consumption behavior. He added that expanding the number of climate zones used in the tariff calculation will promote fairness in payments among consumers. The plan also mandates a 20% reduction in gas use by government offices compared with 1401 levels, maintaining indoor temperatures at 20 degrees Celsius in administrative buildings, and establishing a new pricing tier for nonpermanent residences — all of which he described as sound decisions.

The spokesperson noted, however, that despite the plan’s advantages, committee members expressed concerns given current economic hardships and inflationary conditions. He said the Targeted Subsidies Law was designed as a comprehensive framework but has not been properly implemented in recent years. “If the government intends to enforce it now,” he said, “all aspects of the plan must be considered, and revenues from it should be directed toward supporting low-income households.”

Hosseini added that committee members believe the government should prioritize non-pricing measures such as public education on energy consumption and upgrading inefficient equipment. He emphasized the need for better public communication to address citizens’ concerns and clarify the goals of the new tariff policy.