ALBAWABA - The Islamic Republic of Iran recently made headlines after news circulated that the country is seriously considering replacing Tehran with a new capital after the city witnessed a high surge in issues such as traffic congestion, severe pollution, water scarcity, and mismanagement of resources.
President Masoud Pezeshkian revived the proposal of shifting Iran's capital to Makran, next to the Gulf of Oman stressing its benefits.
Is Iran ditching Tehran for a new capital?
In July 2024, a government spokesperson indicated that the Islamic republic is seriously considering relocating the country's capital to Makran emphasizing the possibility of economic growth and financial gain, according to Iran Insight.
Fatemeh Mohajerani said, "The new capital will definitely be in the south, in the Makran region, and this matter is currently being worked on."
(Makran/ Shutterstock)
On the contrary, while there's a possibility of Iran benefiting from this change, journalist Ali Gholhaki didn't seem keen on the move deeming it risky, unrealistic, and costly due to the country's current economic state.
He wrote on Musk's X (formerly known as Twitter), "Rebuilding Azadi Stadium takes 18 months and costs 19 trillion rials ($23.75 million); how much time and money does relocating the capital require? Think over a century and hundreds of billions of dollars!"
Iran's interest in changing its capital has been debated since 1979 amid the Islamic revolution but was always slammed due to economic issues, and political challenges.
