The Iranian capital faces gridlocked traffic, water shortages, poor resource management, severe air pollution, and gradual land subsidence, prompting Iran to consider a major move.
According to media reports, in January, Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani confirmed that authorities were examining the possibility of moving the capital to the Makran region near Pakistan.
The report said that Makran is a less developed coastal region on the Gulf of Oman, which encompasses Iran’s southern and backward province of Sistan and Balochistan and parts of neighboring Hormozgan province. The region has been discussed several times as a possible option for moving the capital.
According to the report, Iran has been considering moving its capital for some time, but the project could prove to be quite expensive. However, the issue has been raised again by the new President Masoud Pezishkian as Tehran faces many growing problems.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi wants to make the coastal region of Makran a major economic hub for Iran and the surrounding areas. He calls Makran a “lost paradise.” Similarly, President Masoud Pezishkian also said that Iran needs to move its economic and political center to the southern coast because there is no other choice.
The revival of the capital transfer plan has once again sparked debate over its legitimacy, with many quarters highlighting Tehran’s historical and strategic importance.
