Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has declared that Tehran can no longer remain the nation’s capital due to an escalating water shortage and severe land subsidence. Home to around ten million people, the city consumes nearly a quarter of the country’s water, yet reservoirs are shrinking, rainfall is declining, and underground reserves are collapsing. He called the subsidence “a disaster” and warned that unchecked urban expansion has left Tehran unsustainable.Under the proposal, the capital would be relocated south to Hormozgan province on the Persian Gulf, offering access to open waters and new trade pathways that could drive long-term economic growth. While the plan has faced criticism, Pezeshkian stressed that the move is unavoidable for Iran’s future stability. This decision signals a major change in the country’s development strategy and reflects the urgent need to address growing environmental pressures.
