Tehran: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called Wednesday for public cooperation to save energy and manage consumption as the country faces mounting economic pressures. Speaking at a nationwide meeting of provincial governors, Pezeshkian emphasized that previous methods used to govern the country were no longer sufficient to address Iran's current challenges.

According to Anadolu Agency, Pezeshkian stressed the necessity of adopting new approaches and designing creative solutions to overcome existing problems. He warned that without precise planning for managing water, electricity, gas, and gasoline consumption, Iran could face further difficulties. 'We must invite the public to cooperate in saving and consumption management so that we can guide the country through the current conditions with dignity and strength,' he stated. The president noted that if past methods had been capable of resolving the country's issues, many problems would already have been solved.

In a separate statement, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf acknowledged the growing economic difficulties in an audio message on his Telegram channel. Qalibaf highlighted that Iranians had resisted a US- and Israeli-imposed war for about 80 days, but have recently faced economic challenges and rising living costs. He pointed to sharp increases in prices of essential goods like rice, chicken, eggs, and meat, as well as declining purchasing power and reduced job opportunities.

Qalibaf also cautioned that despite nearly a month of relative calm on military fronts, Iran's adversaries had not abandoned their objectives and were pursuing a new phase of pressure alongside economic and political measures. Regional tensions have remained high since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, leading to retaliatory attacks by Tehran against Israel and US allies in the Gulf, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire was implemented on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to secure a lasting agreement. US President Donald Trump later extended the truce indefinitely while maintaining a blockade on vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports through the strategic waterway. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy chokepoint, links the Gulf to international markets, and disruptions there since the start of the Iran war have raised concerns over global oil, fuel, and gas supplies.