The president of Iran has claimed that the nation has no alternative but to move its national capital from Tehran to the south of the country due to the excessive growth of the city, inadequate water supplies, and the increasing threat of land sinking.
Plan Raised with Supreme Leader
Masoud Pezeshkian stated that he had presented the suggestion to the leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, last year. He acknowledged that it had faced significant criticism, but argued that the growing environmental problems were so critical that Iran now had a duty to shift the capital, with no alternative.
He made these comments during a trip to Hormozgan province, which is located on the Persian Gulf across from Dubai.
"This region is situated along the shores of the Persian Gulf and offers easy entry to open waters and the development of trade and economic relations. If we have a different perspective on the potential of this region, we can create a very prosperous and developed region. It is inadequate to tolerate the current situation and not design a well-researched and indigenous map for the future," he said.
Water Shortage Affecting Major Cities
"The challenges the nation is currently experiencing require us to direct the development path towards the Persian Gulf. Tehran, Karaj, and Qazvin are experiencing a water crisis, and this crisis cannot be easily solved."
Tehran has expanded to a metropolis of more than 10 million people, and uses nearly a quarter of Iran's water supplies.
Previous Leaders Also Proposed the Issue
Former presidents have previously raised the topic of relocating the capital, including Hassan Rouhani, who even went so far as to draw up a proposal with alternatives.
Alarming Water Crisis Data
Pezeshkian has consistently sounded the alarm about Iran's worsening water crisis. He said: "Last year, the precipitation was 140mm, while the standard is 260mm; that means rainfall has fallen by about 50 to 60%. This year, the situation is equally serious." Some latest figures put the rainfall in 2025 at just below 100mm.
He added: "The decline in water in the dams, the drying up of some wells, and the high costs of transporting water from different regions all indicate the need for a change in approach. If we want to transport water from here to Tehran, the expense per cubic meter will be up to €4."
Resource Breakdown and Problems
Tehran's dams normally provided 70% of the capital's water, with the remaining 30% provided by groundwater. However, low rainfall and higher evaporation rates have reduced the dams' share and raised stress on groundwater.
"Development without taking into account the impact on resources and expenditures will lead to nothing but damage. If someone cannot maintain this balance, their development is bound to fail.
"In some areas, the land is subsiding by up to 30cm per year. This is a catastrophe and shows that the water beneath our feet is depleting."
