In a scene that could’ve been ripped from a political satire, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was forced to ditch his official convoy and hail a taxi after all three of his government vehicles broke down—thanks to contaminated fuel.
The presidential convoy stalled near *Takestan in Qazvin province, moments after refueling at a highway station near the **Rasht exit. According to **Mostafa Moulavi, the president’s special inspector, the fuel was **mixed with water—and the gas station in question had a *history of similar violations.
“The problem wasn’t new. This station has been caught before distributing poor-quality fuel,” Moulavi told officials during a visit to Qazvin.
Instead of making a scene or requesting protocol-level assistance, Pezeshkian quietly hired a private taxi to continue his journey to Tabriz, avoiding any calls to the provincial governor or local authorities.
Meanwhile, the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company (NIOPDC) admitted the gas station had previous complaints lodged against it—but offered no explanation for why it was still operating.
The president’s office and the Ministry of Petroleum have remained silent on the episode, which has further exposed the country’s deepening fuel crisis.
Across Iran, drivers frequently report *watered-down fuel, rigged meters, and suspicious pump readings, but energy officials continue to *dismiss allegations of widespread corruption or system failure, despite viral videos and mounting public frustration.