The managing director of the Tehran Province Gas Company announced the cutoff of the gas supply to the Ministry of Education and five other government buildings in the capital.

Alireza Aavani said that running heating systems in these institutions on a holiday was the reason for cutting their gas.

As cold months of the year arrive, the country’s gas shortage has again peaked, and the government says that at the height of winter consumption, 11 provinces will face “severe gas pressure” and that gas consumption must be managed.

Based on cabinet decisions, the temperature in office buildings should be set at 18 degrees Celsius, and heating systems of offices should be turned off on holidays.

According to data from the Statistical Center of Iran, total daily consumption by Iran’s commercial and public sectors in last winter was less than 36 million cubic meters, equivalent to only 5% of the country’s gas consumption.

Officials of the Islamic Republic say that the country’s daily gas shortfall in this winter will reach 430 million cubic meters.