Further, as an illustration of Iran's febrile mood, many Iranians blame a recent lethal rise in air pollution on the allegedly low quality of indigenousfuel.
But cheap, plentiful fuel (both indigenous and imported) may lead to an increase in overall energy use, worries Kevin Anderson of Manchester University.
If they have few indigenous energy resources, they may value, as Japan has done, the security offered by plants running on fuel that is cheap and easily stockpiled.