Urgent Need for Relocation
Iran’s president has stated that moving the capital from Tehran is becoming increasingly necessary due to a critical water crisis caused by overpopulation and dwindling resources.
During a visit to Qazvin in north-central Iran, President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that the repercussions of water shortages could lead to a “very dangerous future,” as reported by state media.
Pezeshkian noted that relocating the capital was once deemed impossible due to financial limitations faced by the government.
“We no longer have a choice. It is a necessity,” he emphasized, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency.
The president pointed out that Tehran cannot support ongoing population growth or new construction projects because of severe water limitations.
“If we disrupt the balance of nature and fail to manage it properly, we will face a bleak future,” Pezeshkian cautioned. He stressed that neglecting environmental issues could lead to dire consequences for current and future generations.
Experts indicate that Iran is experiencing permanent “water bankruptcy,” where demand significantly surpasses renewable supply, as highlighted in a recent report from the Middle East Forum think tank.
The report criticizes Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for allegedly creating a ‘water mafia’ that profits from environmentally harmful megaprojects like the Gotvand Dam, completed in 2012 over the Karun River, which is Iran’s only navigable river.
The Gotvand Dam project has led to significant ecological damage, including the death of 400,000 palm trees due to increased salinity levels in the Karun River, effectively transforming it into a “permanent brine factory.”
Water reserves at the crucial Karaj Dam, which supplies Tehran, have decreased by 75% year-over-year, now standing at just 28 million cubic meters. Additionally, national electricity shortages have resulted in widespread blackouts that further hinder water pumping operations.
