Iran's gasoline imbalance has become a persistent challenge as rising consumption continues to outpace domestic refining and production capacity, increasing the country's reliance on gasoline imports. While policymakers emphasize demand management, disagreements over fuel pricing and subsidy reforms have complicated efforts to implement effective solutions.
At the same time, damage to parts of the refining infrastructure and delays in restoring full production capacity have added pressure to the fuel supply system. Various measures—including expanding CNG use, shifting fuel quotas from vehicles to individuals, and linking fuel cards to bank cards—have been proposed but remain under review.
Energy experts argue that without meaningful consumption reforms and coherent long-term policies, Iran will continue to face high gasoline import costs and growing fuel imbalances, while public conservation campaigns alone are unlikely to provide a sustainable solution.