In the month of Dey 1403, the government spokesperson announced that relocating the capital to the Makran region is one of the serious options in the country’s major plans. This plan has not been fully rejected or approved in terms of implementation, and according to Jafar Qaempanah, the executive deputy of the president, regarding the proposal of making Makran coasts the capital, “this issue has been raised as an idea and its implementation time is not determined at all.” (1).

But.

The transfer of the capital from Tehran to Makran seems very difficult due to heavy infrastructure costs, ensuring regional security, and preserving the environment and indigenous culture.

Establishing a new city with modern facilities and administrative, educational, medical, and transportation infrastructures requires a significant investment, and the Makran region, due to its proximity to borders and international waterways, faces unique security challenges. Ensuring the security of the new capital is one of the essential prerequisites for this transfer, and this requires securing financial resources and optimizing cost management. Extensive construction and population transfer to this region may lead to environmental destruction and cultural changes in the indigenous community of Makran.

Despite multiple objections from experts, and emphasizing the advantages and special potential of the Makran region for commercial and economic development, this region is not a suitable option for a new capital city. Makran has a high capacity to become the center of economic activities and exports, and it is even possible to turn it into the country’s economic capital in the long term, after strengthening friendly relations with the world and resolving political challenges. However, it is not a suitable option for a political capital. Farzin Yazdani and Hossein Imani Jajarmi believe that the 14th government, after conducting expert studies, has concluded that Makran is not a suitable option for Iran’s political capital and this relocation is not feasible.

Fardin Yazdani, a housing economics expert, believes: “Presenting such proposals, more than being practical, has a showy aspect and has been discussed for a while and even some investigations may be carried out, but ultimately it will be clear that such a proposal is not feasible. However, relocating the capital is a highly costly proposal and the government does not have the ability to implement it in the current situation. Even if relocating the capital was a good and feasible idea, Makran region is not a suitable option. Choosing a border city is not appropriate in terms of security and defense. In fact, being on the border makes the political capital vulnerable. At the same time, it is necessary for the capital to be located in a region that has centrality in relation to the whole country and is easily accessible from all parts of the country. This is while Makran region is also lacking in this aspect and in such circumstances, it is surprising to present such a proposal.”

Hossein Eimani Jajarmi, an expert in urban areas, considers the proposal to make Makran region the new capital of the country incorrect: “A capital is not just a few buildings, administrative centers, and government employees that can easily be relocated. A capital holds a political and historical significance and defines a nation and its symbolism. To make Tehran the capital of Iran, it took years and a lot of expenses, and changing the capital is not an easy task. Choosing a new location for the country’s capital or selecting a new administrative center requires careful consideration and fulfilling certain prerequisites. In fact, it is necessary to conduct studies on urban planning, security, social, economic, and environmental factors and announce potential options for a new administrative center. The current approach of the government in proposing Makran region as a potential new capital shows that these necessary studies have not been conducted.” (5).

There is some division in the government regarding the transfer of the capital.

In his scattered and rushed remarks, the President still sees the transfer of the capital as the only solution to address the challenges of the capital. In this situation, government officials have identified coastal areas near the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman as the main options for the transfer of the capital. Recently, the Makran region was also mentioned as the primary option for the transfer of the capital by the government spokesperson, although later the spokesperson corrected this statement and stated that Makran is only one of the options under consideration. Mohammad Reza Aref, the first deputy of physicians, said: “We want Makran to have a serious role in national development and be a cultural hub. It seems that with the development of Makran, the long-standing issue of relocating the population to the eastern half of the country, which has been a serious topic for the past five decades, will be achieved.” (6).

Alireza Zakani, the mayor of Tehran, on the sidelines of the 10th of Bahman cabinet meeting, gave his opinion on the question of “Is the transfer of the capital really not possible?” and if so, “What measures does the municipality have in place to reduce the major problems of Tehranis?” He stated: The resources for transferring the capital from Tehran are currently not available and this issue has been raised for decades without any results. (7).

Amir Majid Fakhri, the head of the Geographical Organization of the Ministry of Defense, expressed the possibility of transferring the capital to Makran in this organization: “We have examined this action and sent the series of studies to the relevant authorities. Our studies are ongoing and will not end in a short period of time. This action is a major political decision. The issue of improving the living situation in Tehran is open for discussion and we are conducting our own studies in this regard. Ultimately, the decision in this matter is in the hands of higher authorities, but overall, this is not impossible.” (8).

Properties in Makran became expensive.

According to some economic experts, the news of transferring the economic capital to Makran has no practical basis and has only led to an increase in land and housing prices in the area. Regarding the transfer of the capital to Makran, former Chabahar representative in the parliament, Moein al-Din Sadi, stated: “The news of transferring the capital to Makran has only caused an increase in land and rent prices in the area, without any changes in the lives of the people, and has only added to their expenses. The Makran region has the lowest development indicators and a large percentage of the population still do not have access to piped water. There are alternative capacities in Makran, but the backwardness is so great that the government must first focus on developing infrastructure and then address issues such as the transfer of the capital.” (9).

Artificial intelligence did not like being the capital’s ploy.

One of the famous models of artificial intelligence wrote about the challenges of transferring the capital from Tehran to Makran: “Makran still lacks sufficient infrastructure to become a capital. Transportation systems, urban services, health and education facilities must be extensively developed. The intense heat and high humidity in some parts of Makran can make daily life difficult. Providing the necessary infrastructure to address these challenges, such as advanced ventilation and water supply systems, will be costly. Rapid development in Makran may pose a threat to the natural ecosystems of this region, including its coasts and marine resources, and special attention must be paid to environmental preservation. The people of Makran, mostly of Baloch ethnicity, have their own unique culture and way of life, and a large influx of population from other areas to this region may create social and cultural tensions unless sensitive and participatory management is implemented.” (10).

Strong Qajar Nail in Tehran.

One of the important reasons for choosing Tehran as the capital of Iran during the Qajar period was its strategic location, distance from competing centers, access to resources, and proximity to Qazvin. Tehran was located near the Qajar tribe and gave Agha Mohammad Khan the opportunity to better control the tribe and surrounding areas. Additionally, the city was situated on important communication routes. Choosing Tehran as the capital prevented competition between other important and historical cities of that time, such as Isfahan and Shiraz. This relatively new city allowed Agha Mohammad Khan to build his capital from scratch and exert his influence over it. It also had good access to water and agricultural resources and was suitable for establishing a city in terms of climate. Furthermore, Tehran was close to Qazvin, which was the capital during the Safavid period, and this proximity provided the opportunity to benefit from the experiences of a former capital. (11)

Notes:

1- Strong criticism of the incident of Makran becoming the capital.

Fellow citizen.

January 10th, 2025.

2- Traveling from the north to the capital of Iran, .

ISNA.

January 9th, 2025

3- Can “Makran” replace Tehran?

World of economy.

January 8th, 2025

4- Same..

5- The same..

6- Aref: Makran is one of the options for transferring the capital.

Event 24.

January 7th, 2025

7- The mayor’s opinion about transferring the capital, Tehran.

“Economic world.”

“11 Bahman month 1403.”

8- Amir Fakhri: The transfer of the capital to Makran is not impossible.

ISNA.

“20 Bahman month, 1403.”

9- Rumor of transferring the capital to Makran, sudden increase in property prices.

Urgent news.

25 Dey 1403.

10- Is Makran a suitable place for transferring the capital?

Khabar Online.

January 10th, 2025.

11- Is it possible to transfer the capital from Tehran to Makran?

Economy 24.

January 14th, 2025