Government-affiliated media in Iran are highlighting air pollution death statistics in an effort to create a “political achievement” for regime president Masoud Pezeshkian in his initiative to ban mazut burning. However, data show that power plant reserves of mazut and diesel have drastically declined, and mazut burning is not the main cause of air pollution-related deaths.
Abbas Shahsouni, head of the Air Health and Climate Change group in the Ministry of Health, reported 30,690 deaths due to air pollution in 2023. This number was over 26,000 in 2022.
Shahsouni explained that since 2017, the Ministry of Health’s Air Health and Climate Change group has been responsible for compiling statistics on deaths and damages from air pollution. According to information previously provided by this center in press briefings, the estimated number of premature deaths due to air pollution in 2019 was around 41,700.
These Ministry of Health statistics are usually collected in selected cities. The figures Shahsouni reported for 2023 are based on surveys conducted in 57 cities with a population of nearly 48 million people.
Shahsouni noted that mazut burning has not been an issue in Tehran, while pollution from mazut occurs more in cities like Isfahan and Arak.
Pezeshkian has no mazut to burn
Burning mazut in power plants is a major factor in air pollution, but other sources of air pollution also exist. State media is attempting to present Pezeshkian’s ban on mazut burning as an achievement and a step toward protecting public health.
The reality, however, is that there is no mazut available for burning, just as there is a shortage of diesel and gas.
According to statistics from the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company, combined mazut and diesel reserves in power plants nationwide decreased by 36% in September 2024 compared to the previous September.
On Sunday, November 11, Fars News Agency reported, based on data from the Ministry of Energy, that since September this year, the process of refilling liquid fuel reserves in power plants has stopped, and these reserves have gradually decreased to one-third of their previous level.
According to this report, gas supplies to power plants by the end of October were down 30% from 2023, and diesel reserves in power plants dropped to below 1.26 billion liters, placing Iran’s electrical grid on the brink of a critical emergency.
On Wednesday, November 13, Pezeshkian, responding to a question about planned power outages, said: “Since our gas reserves are low and we may face challenges in winter, we are forced to adjust power plant reserves to avoid issues.”
