From Tehran to Makran: Why Iran Wants to Change Its Capital

10th January 2025

2 minutes read

From Tehran to Makran: Why Iran Wants to Change Its Capital

From Tehran in the north to Makran in the southern coastal region, Iran is considering relocating its historic capital.

The American magazine Newsweek quoted the Persian-speaking channel Iran International as saying: “Iran has decided to move its capital from Tehran in the north to Makran in the southern coastal region for economic and environmental reasons.”

Bazeshkian explores, in his first meeting with al-Burhan, the expansion of Iranian influence in Sudan
Who Will Decide the Presidential Elections in Iran? An Expert Reveals the Details

Moving the Iranian capital to another location would be “costly, time-consuming, and significantly alter the country’s cultural identity.”

In this context, Newsweek noted that President Masoud Pezeshkian is already facing criticism from politicians and others regarding this matter.

Iran’s economy, already struggling, saw its national currency, the rial, plummet to a historic low last month.

Exploratory Phase

Tehran was established as the country’s capital by Agha Mohammad Khan, the first ruler of the Qajar dynasty in Iran, over 200 years ago.
The idea of relocating the capital was first proposed during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s presidency in the early 2000s.

Pezeshkian has revived the idea as a means to address Tehran’s issues, including overpopulation, water shortages, energy deficits, and other challenges.

Although the proposal has been discussed before, it was never pursued due to financial constraints and political controversies.

The channel Iran International reported that Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani stated: “The new capital will definitely be in the south, in the Makran region. This project is currently under development.”

She added: “We are seeking assistance from academics, elites, and experts, including engineers, sociologists, and economists,” noting that the project is currently in an exploratory phase.

Tehran’s Issues

Tehran, home to over 9 million residents, has long suffered from overpopulation and air pollution.

The Iranian capital is also grappling with what is referred to as “water bankruptcy,” in addition to shortages of electricity and gas, according to the newspaper.

The idea of moving the capital to the south gained popularity during Ahmadinejad’s presidency due to the capital’s vulnerability to earthquakes.

In the mid-2000s, former President Hassan Rouhani reignited the debate, citing Tehran’s unsustainable growth and environmental issues.

At a meeting held last week, Pezeshkian once again raised the possibility of relocating the capital. He said: “One of the reasons we are considering changing the capital is the imbalance between resources and expenditures in Tehran.”

He added: “Transporting raw materials from the south to the center for processing and then sending them back south for export drains our competitiveness. We need to move the country’s economic and political center to the south, closer to the sea.”