World's Fourth Largest Oil Producer Imports 25% of Petrol Needs

Yeah, it's Iran.

You'll need this background information to digest first. Iran is finally declaring a ban on busses and minibusses that use diesel. That'll happen in two years time. Now, if you know about the pollution problems, particularly in the capital, Tehran, you'll know that schools close literally for weeks on bad pollution days. That's how bad it gets. Will banning diesel solve the problem? Well, I've seen this ban set in motion in another country: Lebanon. The difference in air quality is huge. The problem, and this is why I titled the headline this way, is that you have to use regular gas instead of diesel. You'd think Iran has enough gas, being such a big producer of oil. Um, no. It actually does import 25% of its requirements. And guess what? That 25% is now, what do you think it'll be when they ban diesel? So Iran is going to start rationing petrol...in September. I don't know about you, but I would hate that. Maybe the rationing is for public transportation, I don't know. Also, gas is cheap in Iran only because the government subsidizes it (it's like 20 cents a gallon or less). Of course, with Iran making so much cash from the expensive gas we all buy today (though the U.S. only imports a small percentage of Iranian oil for itself) they may be able to afford this. I don't know. Maybe if the UN sanctions them there'll be more pressure on Iran than we previously thought?

Anyways, I thought it was interesting.