RoydadNaft –  Compressed natural gas consumption rose about 11% in the first week after the third gasoline rate on station cards was raised to 10,000 tomans, the oil minister’s deputy said.

Mohammad Sadegh Azimifar, who also heads the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company, told Roydad Naft that average CNG use increased by about 2 million cubic meters a day versus the first half of Shahrivar and Mordad (mid-August to early September 2026). Higher CNG use and lower gasoline demand show the third-rate change is helping ease the gasoline imbalance and cut import reliance, he said.

Free conversion of high-mileage internet freight and passenger fleets to CNG is a company priority and is under way.

Ehsan Jan-Mohammadi, chairman of the CNG stations association, said traffic at CNG sites has increased since the station-card gasoline price rose. Exact figures will be released at the end of Shahrivar (by Sept. 22, 2026), he said.