Title: Expert Analysis: Moving Iran’s Capital is Not a Silver Bullet for Environmental Challenges
In a detailed analysis of the proposal to relocate Iran’s capital, water resources management expert Dariush Mokhtari has argued that such a move would offer minimal environmental benefits for Tehran and could simply transfer existing problems to a new location. His comments underscore the complexity of the issue, framing it as a matter of national policy requiring comprehensive study over immediate political action.
A Multifaceted National Decision
Mokhtari emphasized that any decision regarding the capital’s transfer must be based on meticulous research and expert consensus. “Relocating a capital is a complex action that should not be viewed solely from a political or administrative perspective,” he stated. He stressed the necessity for detailed, quantitative studies from research centers and engineering consultancies to reach a sound conclusion, moving beyond mere descriptive reports.
Tehran’s Ecological Burden
The core of the problem, according to the expert, is that Tehran’s geographical area has long been burdened beyond its ecological capacity. He revealed that while the city’s current area spans approximately 950 square kilometers, it should have been limited to a maximum of 200 square kilometers to remain in balance with the ecological capabilities of its plain.
This over-expansion, driven by unchecked urban development, industrial growth, and agriculture, has placed immense strain on water resources. The situation is exacerbated by the existence of approximately 14,000 legal and 14,000 illegal wells, which significantly contribute to the alarming rate of land subsidence in the Tehran plain.
The Unsustainable Water Supply
Mokhtari highlighted Tehran’s dependence on inter-basin water transfers, describing it as “borrowing water” from surrounding watersheds like the Lar and Taleghan dams. He pointed out that even proposals to transfer water from the Persian Gulf or the Caspian Sea are costly and environmentally destructive solutions that fail to address the root cause: continuous overburdening. “Every time new water supply capacity is created, demand moves further ahead, and the burden increases,” he explained, noting that such transfers only delay the crisis rather than solving it.
The Limited Impact of Relocation
Addressing the central question, Mokhtari was clear that moving the capital would have a negligible impact—around five percent—on reducing Tehran’s environmental risks. He attributed this to the fact that the city’s primary problems stem from its inherent commercial nature and relentless development, not merely its status as the capital. The daily administrative commutes and non-resident population constitute only a small fraction of the geographical burden, meaning that relocating government ministries and embassies would do little to alleviate the core geological and water crises.
A Warning Against Repeating Mistakes
A key concern raised by the expert is the potential to replicate Tehran’s problems elsewhere. He cited the experiences of other major Iranian cities like Shiraz, Mashhad, Isfahan, and Tabriz, where unplanned development and extensive construction have rapidly intensified environmental and social crises. “If a new capital is established,” Mokhtari warned, “the same problems of overburdening, land-use change, and land monopolies will be repeated on a new and larger scale.”
The Preferred Path: Policy Reform Over Relocation
Ultimately, Mokhtari advocates for a strategy of policy correction rather than physical relocation. He suggested that keeping the capital in Tehran could even be an advantage, as the problems remain visible to policymakers, creating greater pressure for decisive corrective action.
“The right solution,” he concluded, “lies in developing knowledge-based and low-water-consumption industries, preventing land-use changes, halting the practice of selling density permits, and reforming urban management.” According to his analysis, only through such fundamental policy shifts can the burden on Tehran be effectively reduced and a wider environmental crisis be averted.