A protest was held in Arak on Tuesday against the usage of mazut in the Shazand power plant.

Mazut, known for its environmental hazards, is typically banned in most countries unless blended with less polluting fuels; however, in Iran, it is regularly employed due to limited export market options.

According to reports from the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), government officials stepped in to ban the gathering.

Arak is one of eight major Iranian cities grappling with severe air pollution. Despite this, the authorities in the central province recently approved the re-use of mazut in the Shazand power plant, sparking concerns among the populace.

In response to the decision, several professors from Arak University issued a call to cease the use of the highly polluting fuel. In a statement, they emphasized that the burning of mazut in the Shazand power plant "poses a serious threat to the health of over a million residents of Arak and Shazand."

It was the second protest against air quality in events days. Last Tuesday, hundreds of residents in Ardakan, Yazd province, took to the streets to express their discontent with the air quality in their city.

The longstanding practice of using mazut in industries and power plants during the second half of each year, attributed to a gas shortage, has raised environmental and health concerns among the Iranian populace.