Contradictory Statements by Health Minister Regarding Potential Extension of Nationwide Closure in Iran

On Thursday, August 3, the Minister of Health commented on the possibility of extending the nationwide closure for the upcoming Saturday and Sunday, stating that if the "heat" reaches a level of "harm," he would propose a closure. However, in contradictory statements, he also mentioned that the weather would "cool down from Friday" and that there would be no closures next week. Bahram Einollahi stated that the "World Health Organization emphasizes the impacts of weather on diseases," and the proposal for closure from the Ministry of Health would only occur if the heat was "at a level that harms people." Simultaneously, he announced that the Meteorological Organization had reported that Friday's weather would be "cool," and therefore, there would be no proposal for closure next week. The nationwide closure in Iran on Wednesday and Thursday, August 2 and 3, which was attributed by officials to "heat," faced widespread reactions, with users interpreting it as an attempt to control the related electricity shortage. In this context, multiple reports emerged of power outages in industrial towns and the grounding of industries coinciding with the announcement of the nationwide closure. Hamidreza Najafi, a civil activist and entrepreneur from Arak, who has previously faced charges such as "spreading falsehoods" and "propaganda against the regime," reacted to the sudden closures and power cuts in the industrial town where his workshop is located, stating in a video that the Islamic Republic has destroyed Iran's development path and turned opportunities into threats. Additionally, Kaveh Madani, the director of the UN Water Think Tank, emphasized Iran's "water, electricity, and gas bankruptcy," stating that this situation "cannot be resolved by closures." Concurrently with the announcement of the nationwide closure, reports indicated that the Karun 3 and 4 power plants had been temporarily taken offline due to "overproduction of electricity." Farid Safari, an energy expert, in an interview with Voice of America, pointed out the discrepancy between electricity production and consumption, stating that most power plants in Iran rely on fossil fuels and that outdated, low-efficiency plants need to be decommissioned. According to this expert, Iran's territorial capabilities have not been utilized properly, and unlike countries like Turkey, which have fewer capabilities, not much has been done in the field of renewable energies, and there has been no proper planning for solar energy production.