The Iranian government has decided to significantly reduce electricity supplies to industries as it struggles to minimize power outages in large cities during the current summer heat wave.

Iran�s Vice-President Es�haq Jahangiri issued a decree on Tuesday allowing the Energy Ministry to impose a cap on electricity consumption by major industries.

�The Energy Minister is allowed from tonight to prohibit industries from using more than 10% (of their normal consumption) and any breach will with be dealt by the required action,� Jahangiri was quoted as saying by semi-official ILNA news agency.

The remarks were made after Jahangiri paid a visit to a newly-launched national center for electricity dispatching. It came after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani offered his apology to the people for recurrent power cuts seen in cities in recent days.

Iran�s state electricity company Tavanir issued a decree later in the day warning steelmakers and cement factories to reduce their electricity consumption to 10% of their normal usage.