By N. Prabhakaran Dubai: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Iran has no choice but to move its capital southward from Tehran. T...
By N. Prabhakaran
Dubai: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Iran has no choice but to move its capital southward from Tehran. The Guardian newspaper reported this, quoting the Iranian President.
Pezeshkian, during a visit to Hormozgan province, said that the city's over-expansion and severe water scarcity are the reasons for the capital relocation. He added that he had discussed the capital move with the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last year.
Pezeshkian suggested Hormozgan province as a possible location for the new capital. "This region is located on the shores of the Persian Gulf. It provides direct access to open waters and the development of trade and economic relations," he explained. He also added that the area has the potential to become a "very prosperous and advanced region."
Tehran is situated on the shores of the Caspian Sea, but Hormozgan province is on the Persian Gulf coast, facing the UAE across the Arabian Sea. It is near this region that India is developing the Chabahar port in Iran.
The Guardian report added that Tehran consumes about 25 percent of the country's total water supplies. Pezeshkian also spoke about the decrease in the country's rainfall. He mentioned that while the country's standard rainfall is 260 millimeters, this year's estimates put the rainfall at below 100 millimeters.
The report stated that dams around Tehran contributed about 70 percent of its water needs. However, the report noted that "low rainfall and increased evaporation have reduced the dams’ share and increased pressure on groundwater."
In July, the Iranian government declared a public holiday for the purpose of water conservation. "In the water sector, beyond management and planning, we also need to address excessive consumption," Pezeshkian had said in a cabinet meeting in July. "If we do not take urgent action now, we will face a situation in the future for which no remedy can be found."
In August, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video message addressing the people of Iran. He pledged that Israel would help solve the country's severe water shortages once Iran is "free" from the current regime.
Israel is a global leader in water purification technology, recycling 90 percent of its wastewater. Netanyahu's promise was that "the moment your country is free, Israel’s top water experts will flood into every Iranian city bringing cutting-edge technology and know-how."
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