President calls for prioritizing renewable energy infrastructure
President Masoud Pezeshkian called on governor generals to prioritize the development of infrastructure for renewable energy to address electricity shortages and eliminate educational facility deficits.
Speaking at the fourth nationwide meeting of the 14th administration’s governors on Monday, Pezeshkian described governors as the executive pillars of the country, stating, “If you governors perform successfully, the country’s problems will be resolved.”
Responding to requests from some governor generals for greater delegation of authority, the president clarified that the government defines delegation of authority based on performance and specific objectives.
“For example, we are ready to delegate any authority necessary to provincial governments for developing solar energy infrastructure. However, delegating authority without clear objectives will lead to chaos,” he said.
Pezeshkian also addressed issues raised by governor generals from border provinces, noting that border areas, which should be sources of revenue, have instead become hubs of poverty and hardship.
“This trend must be corrected,” he said, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive assessment of the challenges faced by these provinces.
He proposed involving ministers, economic players, academics, and scholars to develop a prioritized, expert-backed plan for cabinet review and approval.
The president highlighted the strong collaboration among the heads of the three branches of government in addressing national challenges.
“We currently hold weekly meetings with the heads of the legislative and judicial branches, and the cooperation has been excellent,” he said.
Despite numerous challenges, Pezeshkian expressed confidence that unity and cooperation would enable the country to overcome its difficulties.
“We have significant capabilities and potential that are not easily subject to sanctions. Moreover, there are many paths forward for us to resolve issues in the economy, industry, energy, and other sectors,” he said.
Pezeshkian reiterated his two key expectations for governor generals as developing renewable energy infrastructure and addressing educational facility shortages.
“We must minimize our reliance on fossil fuels for electricity generation as much as possible. By developing solar energy infrastructure in offices, stadiums, schools, universities, and other public spaces, we can sell our gas and oil products at their real value and meet other national needs,” he said.
The president emphasized the importance of promoting energy conservation and a culture of efficiency. “While we waste approximately $150 billion annually in energy subsidies due to inefficiency, by conserving energy, we can preserve our resources and secure the funds needed to solve the country’s problems,” he said.
Pezeshkian noted that, thanks to government planning and management, the country has moved past the critical stage in energy supply.
“We truly did not want to burn mazut, but circumstances forced us to do so. However, with the measures being taken in renewable energy and conservation, we certainly should not need to use mazut next year,” he said.
The president urged governor generals to prioritize the development of solar power plants alongside efforts to address educational facility shortages.
“Any authority required in this area will be granted to you, and the other branches of government are aligned with the administration. If we join hands and combine our efforts, we can solve these problems,” he said.