Iran closes government offices, banks due to heatwave; electricity use soars

Tehran, Iran — The heatwave that has gripped Iran has forced authorities to shorten the opening hours of many establishments on Saturday and order all government and commercial institutions to close on Sunday.

Temperatures in the capital Tehran on Saturday ranged from 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) to 42 degrees Celsius (about 107 degrees Fahrenheit), according to weather forecasts.

State news agency IRNA reported that banks, offices and public institutions across the country would be closed on Sunday to protect people’s health and save energy due to extreme temperatures. Only emergency services and medical facilities would be excluded.

Authorities in many provinces also shortened working hours on Saturday due to the heat, IRNA reported, adding that high temperatures of over 40°C (104°F) had been recorded in Tehran since Friday.

Iranian media warned people to stay at home until 5pm local time.

Authorities also said electricity consumption reached a record 78,106 megawatts on Tuesday.

Nournews, close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, reported Wednesday that temperatures in Iran are rising twice as fast as the global temperature, which has risen by more than a degree compared to the long-term average. Meanwhile, Iran has become 2 degrees warmer in the past 50 years, the agency said.

Last year, Iran declared a two-day nationwide holiday due to rising temperatures.