Heavy Snowfall, Gas Shortages Paralyze Iran

Heavy snowfall and gas shortages have caused chaos across Iran, leading to the closure of schools, cancellation of flights, and shutdown of offices.

Media reports and statements from officials indicate that half of Iran's provinces have either closed schools or transitioned to remote learning due to the severe cold weather, gas shortages, and challenges in heating facilities since Monday.

Government offices in provinces such as Gilan and North Khorasan were also shuttered due to the weather conditions and insufficient gas supplies.

Asadollah Abbasi, the governor of Gilan, reported that more than one meter of snowfall occurred in the mountainous regions, with ongoing efforts to clear roads.

In the capital, Tehran, the Crisis Management Headquarters announced restrictions on gas supplies to state offices and industries until further notice. “Failure to adhere to these restrictions could result in gas supply cuts to offices and industries,” the headquarters warned.

Gilan airport in the north announced the cancellation of six flights to Tehran, Mashhad, and Kish due to snowfall and reduced visibility on Monday with two flights from Tehran to Kerman forced to return to their origin on Monday night due to poor visibility caused by cold and snow.

Gas shortages have become a crisis in Iran in recent years, in spite of its having one of the world’s largest gas fields.

The shortages coincide with Iran's power plants consuming mazut for months before winter to conserve gas, a practice that has contributed to severe air pollution in major cities, repeating patterns seen in previous years.