Long Lines for Gas in Iran Show War and U.S. Blockade Squeezing Supply

The government is struggling to meet a shortfall in fuel and is wary that higher prices at the pump could stir unrest. By Shirin Hakim Leily Nikounazar and Yeganeh Torbati Lines of cars waiting to fill up at Iran’s gas stations, even in the middle of the night, have become a common sight in recent weeks, Iranians said in interviews, as war and a U.S. blockade have strained fuel supplies. The Iranian government is struggling with how to respond and is wary of reducing expensive subsidies, a move that would raise fuel prices and that has prompted large-scale protests in the past. Though Iran is rich in crude oil, its refining capacity has long been insufficient to meet the country’s gasoline demand, officials and experts say. The shortfall — just over a tenth of the gasoline consumed per day, according to government figures — is usually made up by imports.

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