With the continuation of an unprecedented heatwave and a sharp decline in water and electricity resources, Iran’s regime has once again resorted to widespread shutdowns of government offices and institutions in more than 27 provinces across the country.
Regime officials justified the decision as a measure to “manage energy consumption” and “help stabilize the electricity and water grid.” However, experts view it as a temporary band-aid and a clear sign of structural weaknesses and chronic mismanagement.
The shutdowns began in late July, starting with the capital, Tehran. Later, most provinces declared four days of closure in August, and ultimately, on Saturday, August 23, at least 27 provinces—including Tehran, Isfahan, Khuzestan, the three Khorasan provinces, the two Azerbaijans, and Kerman—were placed under shutdown. The Banks Coordination Council also announced that all banks in Tehran and these provinces would be closed on that day.
Provincial governors stressed that all institutions are required to switch off cooling systems and reduce energy consumption. Nonetheless, reports indicate widespread blackouts across various cities. According to the managing director of Tavanir (the state-owned Power Generation and Distribution Company), the severe depletion of dam reservoirs has wiped out a significant portion of hydroelectric power capacity, leaving the country facing serious electricity shortages.
In recent weeks, citizens across the country have reported daily outages of water and electricity lasting eight to ten hours. This year’s planned blackouts began earlier than in past years, disrupting daily life since May.
Alongside this crisis, reports indicate a serious decline in Tehran’s dam reservoirs. The manager of Karaj Dam said water storage has dropped to its lowest level in 64 years, with only one-third of its capacity remaining. This contradicts claims circulating on social media about full reservoirs, which on-the-ground observations have proven false.
Economic experts have warned that each nationwide shutdown costs Iran’s economy about 100 million dollars in losses. Reduced output in key industries such as steel and petrochemicals, a decline in non-oil exports, and factories turning to polluting fuels like mazut are among the direct consequences of the energy crisis. Reports indicate that in just the past month, steel production at Mobarakeh Steel Company and Esfahan Steel Company has dropped by 25%.
Socially, this situation has severely impacted the livelihoods of millions of workers and those employed in the informal sector, with day laborers’ incomes dropping by up to 40%. Small and medium-sized businesses, which account for more than 80% of national employment, have also seen a 25% decline in activity.
According to analysts, the repetition of these shutdowns and the government’s inability to provide structural solutions have further eroded public trust. Many citizens, in messages to media outlets, stressed that the current crisis is not the result of public consumption but rather of the Iranian regime’s flawed policies and chronic mismanagement in the energy and water sectors.
The widespread shutdown of offices, alongside power and water cuts and the pollution crisis caused by burning mazut, paints a clear picture of the regime’s decaying infrastructure and managerial failures—a crisis whose consequences have severely affected everything from the economy to public health and the environment.
