TEHRAN: Iran on Saturday ordered the closure of schools and public buildings in a third of the country’s provinces, including Tehran, as several power plants shut down due to fuel shortages.
Despite Iran’s large oil and gas reserves, the country, under years of international sanctions, has cut power in recent months. has been forced to give in as sub-zero temperatures have increased demand that its old power stations are unable to meet.
The closures ordered on Friday include the capital Tehran as well as the Shiite Muslim shrine city of Qom, Kurdistan in the west and Mazandaran and Ardabil on the Caspian coast.
The official IRNA news agency said the decision was made “because of the cold weather and to manage electricity consumption.”