Iran: Power Outages And Economic Paralysis Deepen Crises – OpEd
Power outages and the electricity crisis have exacerbated the suffering of people across Iran, especially as many regions are already paralyzed due to air pollution or struggling with heavy snow, icy roads, and road closures. According to the regime’s media, on Wednesday, February 12, schools, government offices, and banks were closed in Tehran and 25 other provinces.
Widespread power outages, despite all the problems they bring, are just a small part of the people’s suffering. The lack of electricity cripples daily life, forcing factories and businesses to shut down, leading to heavy financial losses.
A simple example is bakeries, which provide daily bread for people in every city and neighborhood. With power outages, they are unable to serve customers, and even the dough prepared for baking goes to waste.
Other businesses, such as metal workshops, carpentry shops, repair centers, and stores, also face similar problems. Instead of making a living, they suffer financial damage.
In a video clip from Isfahan on Wednesday, February 12, a local resident says: “Look at the situation they’ve created for people. I was filming something for a customer, and suddenly the power went out. We were packing an order for a customer, but it’s been an hour now, and the power is still out, leaving our work unfinished. What kind of situation is this? There’s no electricity at home, and there’s no electricity at the workshop either.”
Other videos from Tehran also depict powerless neighborhoods and the frustration of residents in the streets.
A local woman says: “The power in my shop has been cut off, and this is my peak working hour. When the electricity goes out, neither our life is a life nor our business is a business. I’m disappointed in this government for failing to provide electricity. How long is this going to continue? How long do we have to live like this? This is our shop and our income, but at the end of the month, we still have to pay for electricity, water, gas, and taxes.”
The electricity crisis is a reflection of the overall crisis within the clerical regime, which is struggling in the swamp of its destructive policies and comprehensive failures. Internally, the regime is also in turmoil, plagued by infighting and factional disputes.
The ongoing conflict between the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Oil, both responsible for resolving such issues, is a scandal in the cabinet of regime president Masoud Pezeshkian. The Ministry of Oil, blaming the Ministry of Energy, stated in a report, “While statistics show that proper fuel management could have prevented the recent problems, the Ministry of Energy, instead of focusing on sound policymaking and implementing regulations related to liquid fuel consumption, is attempting to shift the blame by portraying gas shortages as the primary cause of power outages.”
Fatemeh Mohajerani, Pezeshkian’s spokesperson, attempted to justify the situation that has frustrated people by making a ridiculous statement: “As the Tavanir electricity company announced, due to difficulties in supplying power plant fuel, which is rooted in fuel imbalance, we were forced to cut power to some residential areas. This is certainly not desirable for the government, nor are we really happy or satisfied with it, but when we are stuck in difficult conditions, we have to get through it together. We are in a situation where we are forced to do this—meaning that power outages are not our first choice, but given the circumstances, we have no other option.”
The reality, however, is that this regime is not the solution to the problem but the root of all problems. This is why the only true solution for the people of Iran is an uprising and the overthrow of this anti-Iranian regime.
