<article><p class="lead">The Iranian authorities say they are preparing to reinstate lockdown measures in major cities and provinces that are facing rising Covid-19 cases, in a move that will likely deal another hit to Iran's already-depressed transport fuel demand.</p><p>"After being approved by the meeting of [Iran's national Covid-19 task-force] the National Coronavirus Headquarters, the appropriate regulations will be put in place, first in Greater Tehran, and then in other major cities across the country," Iran's President Hassan Rohani said yesterday. </p><p>The president said provincial governors and regional representatives of the national Covid-19 task-force have been given the responsibility to propose one-week restrictions or shutdowns of particular services or public centers "if they deem it necessary." These proposals will be submitted to the ministry of interior for approval, he said. </p><p>These could include educational institutions like universities and schools; leisure centres like cinemas, museums, coffee shops and amusement parks; and religious centres such as mosques. Friday prayers may also be temporarily suspended, Rohani said. </p><p>The move comes after a sustained rise in daily Covid-19 cases in the second half of September. Iran recorded a new daily high of 3,712 on 22 September, almost four months after its previous peak of 3,574 on 4 June. The average number of daily new cases surged to 3,434 in the seven days leading up to the announcement, versus 2,379 in the first three weeks of September, and sharply higher than 2,290 average in August. Since the beginning of the outbreak in mid-February, Covid-19 has killed 25,394 Iranians.</p><p>These renewed restrictions could weigh on what has been a fragile recovery in domestic transport fuel demand in the country. <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2133307">Gasoline consumption was at 410,000-440,000 b/d in the beginning of August</a>, up significantly from around 313,000 b/d at the height of the <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2106236">last round of Covid-19-mitigation measures in April</a>. But this is still down from around 475,000 b/d in December 2019. </p><p>This weaker domestic demand has forced Iran to look for alternative export outlets. According to consultancy FGE, Iran boosted its gasoline exports significantly to around 170,000 b/d in March-July on average, compared with just 30,000 b/d in January-February, before the restrictions were in place.</p><p class="bylines">By Ieva Paldaviciute </p></article>
