Iran ponders moving capital to southern coast as traffic, sinking persist

Facing heavy traffic, air pollution and a sinking city, Iran’s leaders are considering moving the Islamic Republic’s capital to its southern coast.

Since reformist President Masoud Pezeshikian took office in July, rumblings about a possible capital shift have intensified in Iran. On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi touted the validity of Makran as the site for Iran’s next capital city.

“The Makran coast holds a special place. These shores, whose natural and economic potential had been overlooked for centuries, have now become a national development priority,” he said at the Indian Ocean Conference. “The lost paradise of Makran must transform into the future economic hub of Iran and the region.”

Iran is already investigating the Makran region, according to Iranian spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani, who confirmed that state officials were reviewing the country’s southern coast for potential relocation sites and reviewing the issues facing Tehran.

“The new capital will certainly be in the south,” she said at a January press conference. “Specifically in the Makran region.”

The comments follow statements made by Mr. Pezeshikian, who in September said Iran had “no choice” but to move the capital. 

Tehran faces extreme traffic congestion, leading to increased air pollution and instances of respiratory illnesses. The city has around 2 million commuters who travel from neighboring regions each day. 

Meanwhile, the city’s rising population has exacerbated its water shortage. According to reports, Iran has depleted 70% of its groundwater reserves in the past 50 years. Experts say this is due to the nation’s unsustainable extraction rates, with Iran’s Energy Ministry estimating that the country loses 5 billion cubic meters of groundwater a year. 

Iran’s extraction strategies have led to the city’s most unique issue: subsidence, or sinking. According to America’s National Cartographic Information Center, Iran’s land subsiding rate is five times the global average. As a result, Tehran loses 20 centimeters a year from sinking, particularly in the city’s southern districts. 

While moving Iran’s capital would likely prove expensive for the already economically burdened state, proponents say the Makran region’s location makes it worth it. The region’s location on the Gulf of Oman opens up any potential second capital to lucrative trade opportunities and would improve the capital’s earthquake vulnerability.

Still, the move would face steep opposition from those who see the move as expensive, a security risk and a drastic break with tradition. Some have also noted that rising sea levels could hamper urban development in the Makran region.