Hossein Taeb: the Basij has obtained the list of heavy power and gas users

Hossein Taeb, head of the Islamic Republic's Basij Organisation, said on Sunday, 8 November 2026, that the Basij, in coordination with the Oil Ministry, the Energy Ministry and the gas company, has taken over the list of heavy energy consumers and trained 150,000 Basij members as "energy helpers". Speaking to the Islamic Republic's state broadcaster, he said: "We have obtained the list of those who are heavy consumers."

According to Taeb, these forces are to carry out "promotional work" on saving energy, and an energy-saving "exercise" will also be held with forces he calls "those ready to sacrifice their lives". He asked people to show "self-sacrifice" and save energy, but did not explain what the Basij members will do with the list, whom they will visit, or under what authority subscribers' data was handed to the Basij.

People's data in the hands of a repressive force

Before heading the Basij, Hossein Taeb was for years head of the IRGC Intelligence Organisation, a body that played a central role in arresting protesters, activists and dual nationals. The Basij was also one of the regime's main arms in crushing the Dey uprising. Giving such a body the addresses and consumption figures of households allows it to turn up at citizens' doors, without any law having defined this role for the Basij.

The Energy Ministry's 110-trillion-toman debt and winter fears

Taeb's remarks come as the scale of the Islamic Republic's energy crisis becomes clear. The Islamic Republic's energy minister has spoken of the ministry's debt of more than 110,000 billion tomans to the power industry and the possibility of selling assets to pay it. At the same time, concern is growing over fuel supplies for power plants in winter, and some energy experts have asked people to lower the temperature in their homes by four degrees.

In past years the Islamic Republic has made up for power and gas shortages with scheduled blackouts, office closures and cutting gas to industry; this time it is taking responsibility for saving energy into people's homes through the Basij.

The head of the Basij said it has taken over the list of heavy power and gas users and trained 150,000 Basij members for the task.