TEHRAN, Jan 23 — Iran’s oil ministry today urged people to wear warm clothes to reduce a surging demand for gas, as people turn up their heaters to cope with bitterly cold winter temperatures.

Iran has the world’s second largest gas reserves after Russia, and the fourth largest oil reserves. Gas is almost free in Iran because it is heavily subsidised.

"Gas consumption can be managed by wearing warm clothes and turning off heating appliances when leaving home and work,” Oil Minister Javad Owji said today, according to the ministry’s Shana news agency.

"We ask people to save gas consumption so that we can pass the next 10 days without any problem.”

On Thursday, Iran’s Meteorological Organisation issued weather warnings about low temperatures in several cities, including the capital Tehran.

"Even though, thanks to God and to the efforts of the employees of the oil industry, the gas network is stable, the continuation of this situation requires the cooperation of dear compatriots and consumption management,” he added.

Owji said that in past 24 hours, the use of 692 million cubic metres of gas had been registered in "domestic, commercial and non-major industry sectors”. 

The record consumption was 748 million cubic metres on November 22, 2021. — AFP