Analysis of Factors Affecting Iran's Natural Gas Energy Policy Agenda: Employing Kingdon's Multiple Streams Framework

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Master of Public Policy, Facultyof Law and Theology, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

2 Associate Professor of Public Policy, Facultyof Law and Theology, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

3 Professor of Energy Policy, Faculty of Energy Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.

10.22059/jppolicy.2025.105206

Abstract

Natural gas energy in Iran is facing an imbalance, and this issue has become a concern for the country's executive and legislative officials. More than 70% of natural gas is consumed in the domestic, commercial, and small-scale industries, and this issue has presented natural gas energy management with serious challenges. This amount of gas consumption is not proportional to the gas production capacity in the country and is one of the main reasons for the imbalance. The aim of the present study is to analyze the factors affecting the determination of the natural gas energy policy agenda in Iran, which has been addressed using Kingdon's multiple streams theoretical framework. To achieve the research objective, 20 targeted interviews were conducted with energy experts with different scientific specializations and at political, executive, governmental, and academic levels. The research method in this study was to analyze the interviews and process the data using the qualitative content analysis method, and then the data was extracted in the form of coding and categorized into multiple streams. The research findings showed that three streams of issues, politics, and policy are effective in determining the agenda of Iran's natural gas energy, and by analyzing the factors of these three streams, we can reach the window of opportunity for policymaking for natural gas energy in Iran. Diversifying the country's energy portfolio using renewable energies, preventing the waste of natural gas energy in the transmission path, optimizing the pricing method, modifying the consumption pattern, and freeing up gas resources for export, and creating political dependence and economic diversification are some of the results of this research.

Keywords

References

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Iranian Journal of Public Policy
Volume 11, Issue 4
December 2025
Pages 170-192

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