Iran starts a pilot of allocating the fuel subsidy through bank cards in Tehran

The deputy for economic policy at Iran's Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance said on Saturday 1 August 2026 that a scheme allocating the fuel subsidy through bank cards has started on a pilot basis at a number of filling stations in Tehran. Morteza Zamanian said the scheme was implemented with the oil ministry, the communications ministry and the central bank, within the framework of parliament resolutions, and is aimed at identifying fuel subsidy users precisely and preventing smuggling and leakage of consumption.

According to his explanation, the subsidy is calculated on the basis of the bank card of the person using the fuel, and at the moment of payment the system sets the final amount according to that person's own quota, which reduces the effect of using a station card or somebody else's card.

Zamanian stressed that the scheme requires no change to station equipment, imposes no new cost on households, and has no connection to any increase in the petrol price or any change in quotas, adding that it only optimises the way the subsidy is allocated.