Iranian president calls for moving capital, citing Tehran's unsolvable problems

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for the relocation of Iran's political and economic center away from Tehran, citing the capital's mounting environmental and infrastructural challenges, Didban Iran wrote, Report informs via BNE IntelliNews.

"We have no choice but to move the country's political and economic center closer to the southern waters," Pezeshkian said during a visit to infrastructure projects on September 7. He said that continuing the current trend of development in Tehran is unsustainable, particularly given the city's water scarcity.

The president highlighted the inefficiency of transporting raw materials from the south to the center for processing, only to send finished products back south for export. "This severely depletes our competitive power," Pezeshkian stated.

Pezeshkian's comments have reignited a long-standing debate about the future of Iran's sprawling capital, home to an estimated 12 million people and grappling with air pollution, water shortages, and land subsidence.

"Tehran, as the country's capital, is grappling with problems for which we have no solution except relocating the center of governance. Water shortage, land subsidence, air pollution, and similar issues have only intensified with the continuation of policies and actions that have been adopted and implemented so far,” he said.

The president stressed the importance of decentralization, suggesting that government officials should lead by example. "We can't just sit in Tehran and tell people to relocate. We must go first, and the people will follow," he said.

However, the proposal has met with skepticism from some officials and urban planning experts.

Gholamhossein Karbaschi, a former mayor of Tehran, questioned the practicality of Pezeshkian's suggestion. "Where do you want to go?" Karbaschi asked rhetorically in an interview with local media Asr Iran. He argued that past studies have shown that countries that relocated their capitals faced significant costs and often ended up with two problematic cities instead of one.

Karbaschi proposed an alternative approach, advocating for administrative federalism and the redistribution of government agencies and institutions across the country. "If we decide to move all 160 organizations and companies, mostly governmental and affiliated with ministries, to their main centers in other provinces, we can not only declutter Tehran but also create grounds for development in various regions," he explained.

Mehdi Chamran, chairman of Tehran City Council, also weighed in on the debate. "Various governments have raised this issue, but it hasn't led to a specific outcome," Chamran told reporters on September 8. He stressed the need to distribute the country's affairs across all provinces and cities, acknowledging that while Tehran's problems are significant, issues like water scarcity affect other regions as well.

Chamran highlighted past attempts to address the capital's challenges, including discussions during previous administrations that did not yield concrete results. "What's important is the distribution of the country's issues across all provinces and cities, and this seems necessary," he added.

The debate occurs against the backdrop of Tehran's ongoing urban challenges. Reza Mohammadi, CEO of Tehran's Waste Management Organisation, revealed long-standing issues with waste management infrastructure. "Aradkouh has been a waste disposal center for 70 years," Mohammadi said, referring to a landfill site south of Tehran. He outlined complications with land ownership and environmental regulations that have hindered effective waste management.

It remains unclear whether Pezeshkian's call for relocation will gain traction or if alternative solutions for Tehran's problems will be pursued. The debate, which has been going on for several years, has shown the inability of the state to make a firm decision on the large potential move.