Iran Blackouts Leave Industry in Tatters Ahead of Trump’s Return
Manufacturers routinely go dark as the grid buckles under sanctions and shrinking investment. The next four years may be harder.
Woodworkers during a blackout at a Tehran factory in December.
Photographer: Arash Khamooshi/The New York Times/Redux
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Iranian businessman Amin Samieepour is no stranger to power outages during his three-decade career, yet he can’t recall a worse time than the current run of blackouts immobilizing his kitchenware factory.
“It’s terrifying to have electricity cut off during working hours, leaving your staff idle,” Samieepour, 42, said. “The current situation is at its most disastrous state, and it’s only going to get worse in the near future.”