Iran Iran Is Changing Its Capital City ?

[dBSPL]

Iran is changing its capital city—here's why

An Iranian government spokesperson announced that the country is moving its capital city to the south by the coast, inciting both support and backlash.

www.newsweek.com

Iran is changing its capital city to Makran, in the southern coastal region, from Tehran in the north for economic and ecological reasons, according to Persian-language satellite TV station Iran International.

Newsweek has reached out to the Iranian Mission to the United Nations for comment via email outside of normal business hours.

Why It Matters​

Moving Iran's capital to would be costly, time-consuming and shift the country's cultural identity significantly, with President Masoud Pezeshkian already receiving criticism from politicians and others on the matter.

Iran's economy is already struggling and the rial, the nation's currency, plunged to a historic low last month.

The skyline of Tehran, Arne Immanuel B'nsch/Associated Press

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What To Know​

Tehran was established as the country's capital by Āghā Moḥammad Khān, the first ruler of the Qājār dynasty in Iran, more than 200 years ago.

The idea of moving the capital elsewhere was first introduced under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency in the early 2000s. It brought up once more by Pezeshkian as a way to solve Tehran's issues with overpopulation, water scarcity, power shortages and more. Although this idea has been discussed before, it has never been pursued due to financial constraints and political debate.

Reported by Iran International, government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said: "The new capital will definitely be in the south, in the Makran region, and this matter is currently being worked on."

She added: "We are seeking assistance from academics, elites and experts, including engineers, sociologists and economists." She noted that the project is currently in an exploratory phase.

With more than 9 million residents, Tehran has long dealt with overpopulation as well as air pollution, with the capital being one of the worst-polluted cities in the world. The country's capital has also dealt with what has been referred to as "water bankruptcy," in addition to electricity and gas shortages.

The idea of moving the capital to the south gained popularity during Ahmadinejad's presidency due to the current capital's issues with earthquakes. In the mid-2000s, former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani brought the discussion back up as he noted Tehran's unsustainable growth and environmental issues.

In a meeting last week, Pezeshkian brought up the possibility of relocating the capital again. He said, "One of the reasons that has led us to consider changing the capital is the imbalance between resources and expenditures in Tehran.

"Transporting raw materials from the south to the center, processing them, and then returning them south for export drains our competitive capacity. We must shift the country's economic and political center to the south and closer to the sea."

Makran, located in Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan province, is in close proximity to the Gulf of Oman and consequently holds various opportunities for improving the country's trade capabilities, according to the outlet Tehran Times.

Speaking about the city earlier this week, Iran's Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said, "Alongside sea-oriented development, the development of Makran is a priority for the current government."

What People Are Saying​

Ali Gholhaki, an Iranian journalist, said on X, formerly Twitter: "The reconstruction of Azadi Stadium will take '18 months' and cost '1,900 billion Tomans'; how much time and how much money will it take to move the capital?! The estimate of 25 years and 23 billion dollars is a joke! Go beyond a century of time and hundreds of billions of dollars of money! All this aside; what idiot suggested that the capital of Iran be on the maritime border (Makran)?!"

Dariush Omran, an environmental consultant, said on X: "In my opinion, the only reason for the plan to move the capital to Makran is the regime's knowledge of behind-the-scenes agreements to change the regime! A region that Google searches confirm many Iranians have never heard of, and those who have heard it pronounce it with three different pronunciations!!! 'Separatist Reformist Hashtag.'"

Banafsheh Keynoush, an international geopolitical consultant and author, said on X: "By selecting #Makran as possibly the next capital city, Iran aims to compete with sea ports of #Dubai #Gwadar, boost #Chabahar despite #sanctions, advance trade routes in Indian Ocean, reassert role in Persian Gulf waterway."

What Happens Next​

Whether or not Iran will move its capital to Makran and when this process will take place is still unknown.

However, the ramifications of this potential move on trade relations despite global sanctions could be beneficial for the country's persisting economic issues.

 

[dBSPL]

Why does Iran plan to relocate its capital?

Tehran faces longstanding challenges, including overpopulation, air pollution, earthquake risks, water shortages, land subsidence - Anadolu Ajansı

www.aa.com.tr

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Why does Iran plan to relocate its capital?​

Tehran faces longstanding challenges, including overpopulation, air pollution, earthquake risks, water shortages, land subsidence​

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian revived plans to move the capital, Tehran, to a new location near the southern borders along the Persian Gulf, according to media reports.

Pezeshkian discussed the proposal during a Nov. 20 visit to Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters -- an engineering firm linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Pezeshkian said the challenges facing Tehran as the capital have become unmanageable, particularly in economic terms.

“Whatever we do, we're just wasting time. We have no choice but to move the country's economic and political centre to the south, closer to the sea," he said.

The reasons for the decision, its feasibility and possible outcomes had been discussed in previous years in Iran but were not implemented because of various challenges.



Tehran faces several problems

Tehran's population could grow by 20 million in the next 30 years, potentially making city management nearly impossible, according to a report from the Iranian presidency.

Air pollution remains one of Tehran's biggest challenges, with experts warning it has reached critical levels.

The Health Ministry reported in 2022 that air pollution caused 20,800 deaths nationwide annually, with 6,400 in Tehran alone.

Tehran is also located in a high-risk earthquake zone, surrounded by active fault lines.

Experts warn that a major quake could threaten millions of lives.

A statement from Tehran's municipality in 2021 said 60% of the city's buildings do not comply with earthquake safety standards.

On the other hand, scientists from Iran's Construction and Housing Research Center found that Tehran sinks by an average of 25 centimeters (10 inches) each year.

The Center’s 2018 study, based on satellite images from 2003 to 2017, showed the city center and northwest rural areas are affected.

And Tehran faces significant water shortages due to climate change and mismanagement.

Experts said the city's reservoirs are nearly empty, with Tehran consuming 25% of the country’s drinking water.


Can Iran's capital be relocated to the south?

Iran's proposed new capital offers strategic advantages, primarily economic, as the Gulf holds Iran’s key oil and natural gas reserves.

The region has a lower earthquake risk than Tehran and the climate is better suited for sustainable infrastructure projects.

The Iranian parliament approved the proposal to move the capital from Tehran, which has nearly 20 million residents, on Dec. 25, 2013, with 110 votes in favor.

A council was formed to identify a suitable new location, but no significant progress has been made since.

Due to Iran's ongoing economic challenges, the plan to relocate the capital is not expected to be realized in the near future.

 

[Scott Summers]

Good idea.

Capitals should be on the coast, (if you have a coast offcourse) instead of landlocked central cities.

Turkey should also change its capital to Istanbul again, the biggest and richest city or Izmir.

And the Netherlands should change it (again) to The Hague, also a coastal city with the most international institutes.

 

[dBSPL]

Good idea.

Capitals should be on the coast, (if you have a coast offcourse) instead of landlocked central cities.

Turkey should also change its capital to Istanbul again, the biggest and richest city or Izmir.

And the Netherlands should change it (again) to The Hague, also a coastal city with the most international institutes.

Tehran as an administrative center was chosen and established by the Qajar dynasty. More broadly, it was hardly even a city until the mass arrival of the Oghuz Turks in the 11th century. The meaning of Tehran for the Oghuz is significant. There is a demographic and sociocultural background. Changing the centuries-old administrative center of the Iranian state will have consequences related to these socio-economic issues.

The other issue, which is also detailed in the news, is that Tehran is no longer a city that can handle such a large population and constant migration, and the complications it indirectly creates for the country's economy.

I think it is also important to note that the region that the authorities are considering for the administrative center will be just across the UAE and adjacent to the Balochi-dominated cities and towns of the country. The fact that it is on the ocean coast will not only increase the climate difference, but also the momentum of urban rent needed for the rapid construction of the city if a new administrative center is to be built from scratch. Depending on the size of the project, it can contributes to the growth of the Iranian economy too, through the construction sectors.

The reason I bring this up is that Egypt has recently embarked on a similar endeavor at a cost of tens of billions of dollars. Egypt's rationale was similar to Iran's. Just speculation, but it seems Syria may also choose to move its administrative centers out of the city. So I think such arrangements in the region may not be limited to one or two countries.

Speaking for our country, Ankara does not have such insurmountable problems. It is already very close to water resources. And it is an unoccupiable edge with its excellent surround geography.

 

[Scott Summers]

Tehran as an administrative center was chosen and established by the Qajar dynasty. More broadly, it was hardly even a city until the mass arrival of the Oghuz Turks in the 11th century. The meaning of Tehran for the Oghuz is significant. There is a demographic and sociocultural background. Changing the centuries-old administrative center of the Iranian state will have consequences related to these socio-economic issues.

The other issue, which is also detailed in the news, is that Tehran is no longer a city that can handle such a large population and constant migration, and the complications it indirectly creates for the country's economy.

I think it is also important to note that the region that the authorities are considering for the administrative center will be just across the UAE and adjacent to the Balochi-dominated cities and towns of the country. The fact that it is on the ocean coast will not only increase the climate difference, but also the momentum of urban rent needed for the rapid construction of the city if a new administrative center is to be built from scratch. Depending on the size of the project, it can contributes to the growth of the Iranian economy too, through the construction sectors.

The reason I bring this up is that Egypt has recently embarked on a similar endeavor at a cost of tens of billions of dollars. Egypt's rationale was similar to Iran's. Just speculation, but it seems Syria may also choose to move its administrative centers out of the city. So I think such arrangements in the region may not be limited to one or two countries.

Speaking for our country, Ankara does not have such insurmountable problems. It is already very close to water resources. And it is an unoccupiable edge with its excellent surround geography.

If HTS changes the capital to Aleppo, then it will give Israel a chance to annex Damascus.