Tehran sees shortage of gas in winter

TEHRAN: Iran will be short of around 200 million cubic metres per day of gas this winter due to rapid growth in demand, the country’s oil minister said yesterday.

Iran has bought its first diesel cargoes for six months this month to supplement gas it is burning in power plants.

The country has failed to develop them fast enough to meet domestic demand.

More diesel imports would increase Tehran’s vulnerability to potential US sanctions to target fuel suppliers to the Islamic Republic.

Fuel subsidies were contributing to waste and rapid demand growth and gas consumption was up on the year by around 30pc, Iran’s Oil Minister Massoud Mirkazemi said.

Gulf Daily