Iran Faces Severe Fuel Shortages and Black Market Expansion Amidst Conflict

Iran is experiencing a severe fuel crisis characterized by unofficial rationing, long queues, and a thriving black market for gasoline. Citizens report that purchasing unsubsidized fuel has become costly and humiliating, with station attendants often demanding direct payments or limiting sales to small quantities at inflated prices. The shortage is attributed to infrastructure damage from recent US and Israeli attacks on Islamic Republic positions, as acknowledged by government deputy Esmail Saghb Isfahani, who warned of necessary conservation for the next two years. However, officials have issued contradictory statements, with Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad previously claiming no supply concerns. The crisis disproportionately affects deprived regions like Sistan and Baluchestan and Hormozgan, where residents face extreme hardships and exorbitant black market prices. While Parliament members cite war conditions and heat as factors, the lack of a nationwide management mechanism has led to widespread irregularities. Reports indicate that unsubsidized gasoline is sometimes sold on streets for up to 200,000 tomans per liter, significantly impacting daily life and essential services in rural areas.