The Anti-Smuggling Headquarters announced that with the implementation of a 24-article guideline for preventing and combating fuel smuggling, the volume of fuel smuggling has reached zero. Saeed Zaghari, the spokesperson for the headquarters, elaborated in an interview on the executive processes and results of these policies.
History and Status of Fuel Smuggling
Zaghari pointed out that according to statistics from 2023, the volume of fuel smuggling in that year averaged 21 million liters per day, amounting to 8 billion dollars annually. This volume of smuggling was widely carried out at various stages including extraction, transportation, production at refineries, and distribution.
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He added: "With the approval of the 24-article guideline in October 2025, continuous actions to reduce fuel smuggling began, and reports now indicate that this volume has reached zero. Additionally, with the implementation of the emergency card management plan in border and internal provinces, approximately four million liters of fuel are saved daily."
Social and Economic Impacts
Zaghari also mentioned public satisfaction with these policies, stating: "In Kerman province, there were previously long queues for fuel, but now public satisfaction has been recorded between 80 to 88 percent." In this plan, emergency cards were eliminated, and instead, 50 liters were added to the people's card quota.
He identified the main reason for the desire to smuggle fuel as the price difference between fuel in the country and neighboring countries. According to Zaghari, diesel is sold in Iran for 300 tomans, while prices in neighboring countries are significantly higher. He emphasized the need to improve consumption modeling among the public.
Smart Systems and Preventive Approach
Zaghari continued by referring to the headquarters' actions in smartening the fight against smuggling, stating: "According to the anti-smuggling law, the establishment of smart systems in all organizations and ministries has been prioritized. These systems help us transition from reactive management to predictive management and proactively combat smuggling."
He also referred to smuggling in the realm of e-commerce, saying: "According to the approved guidelines, online gold trading platforms must have physical inventory in specified banks equivalent to the amount of gold bought and sold to prevent empty selling."
The spokesperson concluded by emphasizing that the headquarters' approach is based on prevention and software, and national determination and public cooperation in this regard will be very effective. Zaghari added: "Purchasing any smuggled goods is a blow to domestic producers, and cultural awareness in this area is essential."
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