Paris, 20 March 2026 (dpa/MIA) - The International Energy Agency (IEA) on Friday advised measures to reduce oil consumption in response to the oil supply crunch triggered by the Iran war.

The agency said its recommendations to mitigate the crisis focus on transport, which accounts for around 45% of oil consumption.

Working from home where possible, reducing speed limits and shifting travel away from private cars to public transport could help reduce fuel use, the IEA said.

It also suggested allowing access to major cities on alternating days based on even and odd number plates to ease congestion and cut consumption.

Additional savings could be achieved through car-sharing, more efficient driving and improvements in freight and delivery transport.

The agency also said avoiding air travel could help reduce oil demand. Industry could seek to switch to alternative energy sources where possible.

Governments could lead by example through regulatory measures and targeted incentives, focusing support on those who need it most. Experience from past crises shows that targeted support mechanisms are more effective than broad-based subsidies, the IEA said.

Although IEA member countries have begun releasing strategic oil reserves to stabilize markets strained by the war, this alone cannot fully offset the scale of the disruption, the agency said.

Managing demand is a crucial and immediately effective tool to ensure energy security and ease pressure on consumers, the IEA added.

MIA file photo