President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Saturday that subsidized energy must be directed towards boosting production, employment and productivity, warning against its misuse for smuggling or wasteful activities.
Speaking at a meeting with members of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture on Sunday, Pezeshkian called for urgent reforms to address economic challenges including currency and energy disruptions. He issued directives to relevant bodies to facilitate business and remove hurdles for private sector operators.
“Subsidized energy must serve production, employment and increased productivity, and should not become a ground for smuggling, waste of resources, or non-transparent activities,” Pezeshkian said.
The president said industries receiving energy at preferential rates must optimize consumption and avoid resource diversion. He also called for steering energy subsidies toward high-value-added, efficient industries, questioning the logic of directing scarce resources to low-output or uncompetitive producers.
Pezeshkian commended private sector actors for helping stabilize markets and meet national needs during the comprehensive “hybrid war” by enemies, adding that no major shortages or market disruptions occurred during the recent war.
Separately, Iran Chamber of Commerce President Samad Hassanzadeh announced the formation of an “economic war headquarters” to analyze future trends and propose plans to limit further damage to Iran’s economy.
He also revealed plans for a fund, in cooperation with several banks, to compensate small and medium-sized enterprises affected by the wartime economy and facing liquidity problems.