This study investigates the concept and dimensions of energy security, emphasizing its critical role in sustainable economic development. The paper begins by providing comprehensive definitions of energy security and its various facets. The dimensions examined in this research include: availability, affordability, environmental sustainability, accessibility, diversity, cost, technology and efficiency, geographic location, temporal horizon, resilience, health, culture, literacy, employment, policy, military, and cybersecurity.
Subsequently, Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods, specifically the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), are employed to weight these dimensions and determine their priorities. The top-ranked dimensions identified through the MCDM methods are: policy (0.0749), diversity (0.0737), technology and efficiency (0.0717), affordability (0.0663), accessibility (0.0650), availability (0.0647), and resilience (0.0637). These findings assist decision-makers and policymakers in accurately identifying energy security bottlenecks in Iran and formulating strategic plans to strengthen the energy sector.
Furthermore, the Spearman correlation coefficient was utilized to assess the consistency between the AHP and TOPSIS techniques, yielding a strong correlation of 0.82. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was conducted on the "subsidy" criterion, revealing that the dimensions of affordability and accessibility are most sensitive to changes in the weighting of the subsidy criterion. The findings of this study provide key insights into Iran's energy policies, highlighting areas for improvement and strategic focus, thereby guiding policymakers and stakeholders in enhancing energy security and developing effective strategies to address current and future energy challenges.