From the statements of senior executive officials, it becomes clear that the summer of 1405 (2026) for Iran is not just a hot season; it is a "difficult period for energy supply." Mohammad Reza Saqab Esfahani, head of the Energy Efficiency Organization, has said about the country's energy situation: "The reality is that parts of the national gas and fuel network have been damaged, and compensating for this requires significant time and financial resources. Restoring some of the damaged capacities will take between 18 months and two years. Even if full financial resources and means are secured, this coming summer will be a difficult period for the energy sector because parts of the country's gas, gasoline, and diesel capacity have been damaged." The Minister of Energy has also made statements to a similar effect regarding the state of the country's energy resources. In addition to them, the President himself has recently, on several occasions, in explicit or allusive remarks, spoken about the fragile state of the country's energy stability and reminded of the necessity of public cooperation in saving energy.
A field for social resilience
The essence of the matter is that the coming summer is a test of "national resilience" in successfully overcoming one of the crises resulting from the enemy's aggression. A nation that has not yet been released from the grip of the 40-day war and the aggression of the US and Israel is now facing compounded pressure on its energy infrastructure, trade restrictions, disruptions in certain supply routes, and an intensifying imbalance in electricity and gas. Under such circumstances, the issue of saving energy is not a moral or economic recommendation, but rather part of the imperatives of "national security" and even a form of resistant action against the enemy's strategy of attrition.
In recent months, Masoud Pezeshkian and a number of government officials have repeatedly called on the people to take the management of energy consumption seriously. The President has explicitly stated that "today, saving energy is an act of war and resistance" and has called upon the 30 million participants in the "Janfada" (Self-Sacrifice) campaign to step into the field to help reduce electricity and gas consumption. He has even called for the participation of mosques in the successful implementation of energy savings.
These repeated and emphatic statements should not be understood merely as a promotional invitation. The reality is that the recent war was not just a military confrontation; it was also an attempt to wear down Iran's economic and social capacity. One of the main objectives of such wars is to disrupt the daily lives of the people; from ports and trade chains to electricity, fuel, transportation, and livelihoods. The enemy knows very well that widespread blackouts, power cuts to industries, disruptions in energy supply, and an increase in public dissatisfaction can be just as effective as a military attack.
It is from this perspective that Pezeshkian has warned that the enemy is trying, through pressure on infrastructure and economic siege, to turn social satisfaction into dissatisfaction. Of course, saving energy has always been an intellectual and economic virtue. No country, not even the wealthiest governments in the world, encourages unregulated energy consumption. But the difference this year is that Iran is not in a "normal" situation. Now, every kilowatt-hour of electricity and every cubic meter of gas is not just a source of consumption; they are part of the national capacity to get through a critical historical phase. If the people can modify their consumption patterns only slightly, pressure will be lifted from the electricity grid, industries will suffer fewer blackouts, production will not be harmed, and the government will not be forced to resort to more severe restrictions. The President himself has pointed to this same point, stating that if the people cooperate, there will be no need to cut electricity and gas to industries; because halting production directly targets the livelihood of society.
In this regard, there is another important point; the recent war showed that "social capital" is the country's most important asset. The same people who, during the days of crisis, maintained the psychological security of society and did not allow the country to descend into chaos and instability, can now also play a role on the energy front. This is why the government emphasizes the capacity of mosques, neighborhoods, grassroots groups, and social campaigns. This perspective is not merely managerial; rather, it is based on the reality that overcoming major crises is not possible without social participation.
Consumption, a component of national security
At first glance, turning off a few extra lights, adjusting the thermostat of the air conditioner, reducing the use of high-consumption appliances, or managing gas consumption might seem like a small action; but when millions of households do this simultaneously, the result can be equivalent to building several large power plants. Pezeshkian has even pointed to the issue of upgrading cooling equipment, stating that replacing the worn-out motors of evaporative coolers (water coolers) can save thousands of megawatts. This is the point at which "consumption" becomes a strategic issue. In today's world, wars do not only take place on the battlefield; they also flow through the economy, media, energy, and even lifestyle. A nation that can intelligently manage its consumption under pressure has, in effect, neutralized part of the enemy's plan for internal attrition.
At the same time, this reality must also be accepted: the responsibility for the energy crisis does not rest solely on the shoulders of the people. The government is also obligated to act with transparency, justice, and precise planning; from upgrading the dilapidated network and combating energy waste, to developing renewable energies, controlling the consumption of government agencies, combating illegal cryptocurrency mining, and optimizing industries. The call for the people to save energy will be effective when society feels that the establishment is also reforming its consumption patterns and managing resources.
Nevertheless, even if we accept all criticisms of energy policy, the core issue remains unchanged: Iran is entering one of the most critical summers in recent years, and getting through it at low cost is impossible without public cooperation. Under such circumstances, saving energy is not just about lowering the electricity bill; it is a form of participation in maintaining the economic and social stability of the country. Just as during the eight years of the Sacred Defense (Iran-Iraq war), the people endured rationing, blackouts, and restrictions to keep the country on its feet, today, managing consumption can be part of that same culture of national resistance; a resistance that this time is not defined in military trenches, but in homes, shops, offices, and daily lifestyle.
NOURNEWS