State media in Iran has announced that banks and most government institutions will be closed on Sunday, urging citizens to stay indoors as the country grapples with an intense heatwave. The national emergency service reported that at least 225 people have been hospitalized due to the extreme heat since Friday, while energy consumption has reached record levels.
A government statement, disseminated by the official news agency IRNA, explained that the closures are intended to safeguard public health and conserve energy. Emergency and relief services will remain operational despite the nationwide shutdown. Public sector working hours were reduced by half on Saturday, the initial day of the week in Iran.
Babak Yektaparast, spokesperson for Iran's emergency service, advised people to remain indoors between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm. On Saturday, the government adjusted the opening hours for banks and state institutions to 6:00 am to facilitate transactions before the heat intensified. This measure helped save 1,000 megawatts of electricity, according to IRNA.
Iranian officials disclosed on Thursday that electricity consumption had reached a historic peak of over 79,000 megawatts. The heatwave has enveloped Iran, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in Tehran and reaching 50C in Dalgan, Sistan-Baluchistan province, as reported by Tasnim news agency. At least 10 of Iran's 31 provinces experienced temperatures above 45C since Friday.
IRNA forecasts that the heatwave will persist for the next four days, although temperatures are expected to gradually decrease starting Monday. Globally, last Monday marked the hottest day recorded since 1940, according to the European Union's Copernicus Earth observation programme. Scientists have associated climate change with more frequent and severe extreme weather events, including heatwaves.
