Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was forced to complete part of a recent trip to Tabriz by taxi after the fuel in three official vehicles was found to be contaminated with water, leading to a mechanical failure, a senior government official said on Tuesday.
According to Mostafa Molavi, the president’s special inspector, all three vehicles carrying the president and his security convoy stalled near the city of Takestan in Qazvin province after refueling at a roadside gas station.
“The president and his security team set out by car for Tabriz. They refueled at a highway service station near the Rasht exit, and shortly after, all three vehicles broke down before reaching Takestan,” Moulavi said during a visit to Qazvin’s provincial headquarters earlier this week.
“Our investigation showed the station was distributing low-quality fuel mixed with water. It had a history of such violations,” he said.
Moulavi said the president chose not to involve local authorities and instead arranged a private taxi to complete his journey to Tabriz.“The president did not call the provincial governor’s office or request assistance. He simply took a taxi."
The National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company (NIOPDC) confirmed that the gas station in question had previous complaints filed against it for fuel quality issues. However, no explanation was provided as to why the facility remained operational despite a history of infractions.
“This particular gas station had previous reports of similar problems,” Moulavi said.
Neither the president’s office nor the Ministry of Petroleum has commented publicly on the incident.
Fuel quality concerns
Fuel adulteration is a recurring issue in Iran, where motorists frequently complain of watered-down gasoline or manipulation of pump meters.
Videos circulated in recent years appear to show mismatches between fuel dispensed and prices charged, fueling widespread public distrust. Energy officials deny systemic shortcomings.
Former Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said in 2021 that up to 400 gas station operators each year faced legal action for offenses such as short-changing customers or mixing fuel types improperly.
However, industry insiders and watchdog reports point to broader issues, including the use of unauthorized chemical additives, underdeveloped refineries, and inconsistently enforced regulations.
According to a confidential oil ministry report obtained by Iran International in June, a growing mismatch between fuel production and demand, with the country relying on imports and petrochemical-derived gasoline to cover shortfalls.
Documents reviewed by Iran Open Data (IOD) show that Iran produced an average of 101 million liters of base gasoline per day in 2024, but raised the figure to 121 million liters by adding over 20 million liters of petrochemical additives—including the controversial methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), which is banned in many countries due to its toxicity.
MTBE is still used at Iran’s major refineries to boost octane ratings despite its environmental risks. Meanwhile, 80% of Iranian gasoline reportedly fails to meet international Euro-4 or Euro-5 standards.
Iran maintains one of the world’s lowest retail fuel prices thanks to heavy subsidies, but sanctions and aging infrastructure have made it increasingly difficult to sustain fuel quality and supply.
