Tehran Drivers Queue for Hours as Fuel Shortage Worsens

Long queues of vehicles were seen outside petrol pumps across Tehran on Tuesday, as the Iranian capital grapples with an acute fuel shortage. Motorists rushed to fill their tanks amid fears of further scarcity and possible price increases.

"Gas stations were crowded," said Hassan Jalili, a 57-year-old Tehran resident. "Everyday the imbalance (between fuel supply and demand) is going up. Our country has no plan for gasoline."

Iran is currently producing less fuel than it consumes, with authorities reporting a daily deficit of at least 14 million litres. In response, Fereidoon Yasemi, the Tehran regional director of the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company, announced a 30% increase in gasoline distribution in the capital. More than 26 million litres of petrol were distributed in Tehran on Monday, setting a new record for the current Persian year.

The fuel crunch comes as the United States intensifies economic pressure on the Islamic Republic. On Monday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned every country doing business with Iran to sever financial ties or face retaliation. He specifically called for the closure of international branches of Iran's Bank Melli, cautioning that "any entity that facilitates money laundering on behalf of Iran will be removed from the U.S. dollar system."

Residents expressed frustration over the worsening economic situation. "Last year, since the 12-day war, business has kept crashing and stalling," said Siamak Rezaei, 44. "Everyone is like me. As the saying goes, we've been barely getting by, just trying to keep up appearances."

The scenes of congestion and anti-American murals along Tehran's roads underscore the mounting strain on ordinary citizens as the government navigates both fuel supply challenges and external sanctions.