The Anti-Smuggling Headquarters announced that daily diesel imports, which ranged from 4 to 8 million liters, have reached zero. Hamideh Zaghari, the spokesperson for this headquarters, elaborated on the details of this success, mentioning the shift in the headquarters' approach from a pursuit-oriented management to a preventive management, stating that vulnerable points have been identified through analyzing import and export trends.
The 24-Article Directive and Its Impact
Zaghari explained that the 24-article directive for preventing and combating fuel smuggling, which was approved by the Cabinet in October 2025, has significantly increased oversight over the fuel supply chain. This directive is designed as a key tool for combating fuel smuggling, and based on it, all organizations and ministries involved in import and export are required to establish digital systems and integrate information.
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The State of Fuel Smuggling in Previous Years
Zaghari pointed out that in 2024, an average of 21 million liters of fuel was smuggled daily, valued at over 8 billion dollars annually. This amount of smuggling accounted for nearly one-third of the total dollar value of smuggled goods in the country. She added that fuel smuggling occurred at all stages of the supply chain from extraction to consumption, but with the implementation of the new directive, oversight of this chain has been significantly strengthened.
Zaghari also mentioned the factors that make fuel smuggling attractive, stating that the price difference of fuel in Iran and neighboring countries is one of the main reasons for smuggling. While the price of diesel in the country is about 300 tomans, this figure reaches 280,000 tomans in neighboring countries, especially in Pakistan.
Given these conditions, it seems that the Anti-Smuggling Headquarters, by implementing new directives and smartening processes, has taken effective steps towards reducing fuel smuggling and improving the economic situation of the country.
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