Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Iran has no choice but to move its capital from Tehran to the south of the country due to excessive expansion.
Among the reasons for raising the issue of relocating the city are the chronic water shortage and the growing threat of land subsidence.
Speaking during a visit to Hormozgan province, Pezeshkian said that he submitted the proposal to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, last year.
“The problems the country is facing require us to direct development towards the Persian Gulf. Tehran, Karaj, and Qazvin are facing a water crisis that cannot be easily resolved,” Pezeshkian emphasized.
Tehran, a city with more than 10 million inhabitants, consumes almost a quarter of the nation’s water reserves. Dams previously provided 70 percent of the capital’s needs, but rainfall, which fell by nearly 60 percent, and accelerated evaporation have drastically reduced reserves.
However, low rainfall and increased evaporation have reduced the share from dams and increased pressure on groundwater. According to Pezeshkian, transporting water to Tehran could cost up to 4 euros per cubic meter.
“In some areas, the land is subsiding by up to 30 centimeters per year. This is a catastrophe and shows that the water beneath our feet is disappearing,” he warned, adding that the country’s development must be aligned with natural resources.
Relocating the capital from Tehran has occasionally been discussed by previous presidents, including Hassan Rouhani, but it has never been implemented. Pezeshkian now claims that the crises have reached a level where Iran “has no other choice“ but to carry out this plan.
