Despite holding some of the world's largest oil and gas reserves, Iran has struggled with power shortages, particularly during cold seasons when gas consumption spikes.

"Due to extreme cold, frost, snowfall, and the need to reduce energy consumption, government offices and schools have been shut in many provinces," Mehr news agency said.

The closures, affecting Tehran and provinces including Alborz, Fars, Hamadan, Isfahan, Kurdistan, and Yazd, aim to manage surging energy consumption during a cold snap.

Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said on Wednesday morning that Iran set an "unprecedented" record of 681 million cubic meters of gas consumption in the household sector over the past 24 hours.

On Tuesday night, power outages hit several districts of Tehran, with state television attributing the cuts to gas supply issues at power plants.

However, Paknejad denied the reports, stating that sufficient fuel had been provided to Tehran's power plants.

The national electricity company, Tavanir, urged a 10 percent reduction in gas and electricity consumption to alleviate pressure on the grid.

Iran has frequently imposed similar closures, citing extreme weather conditions and fuel shortages.

Last Saturday, a working day in Iran, authorities enforced similar measures to curb energy use.

Temperatures in Hamadan, the coldest provincial capital, plummeted to -19 degrees Celsius (-2.2 Fahrenheit) overnight, according to state television.

Weather forecasts for Wednesday warned of heavy rain, thunderstorms, and strong winds in 13 provinces, with snowfall expected in mountainous regions, particularly in the north.

In the Zagros mountains, about 300 kilometres (185 miles) west of Tehran, 60 villages remain cut off by snow, with supplies being airlifted in, Tasnim news agency reported.