Pezeshkian commits to halt ‘Tehran’s expansion’, promote decentralization
In a decisive move to address the pressing challenges faced by the capital, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced on Monday that his government is committed to halting the expansion of Tehran.
The president emphasized the critical shortage of resources and inadequate infrastructure as key factors driving this policy, president.ir reported.
During a meeting focused on decentralizing Tehran, Pezeshkian highlighted the repercussions of imbalanced development, stating, “The continuation of the current trend is impossible, and the capital’s expansion must be stopped as the first step to rectify the situation.” This clear stance aims to alleviate the serious problems that residents of Tehran have been grappling with due to rapid urban growth without proper planning.
To support this initiative, the government is prepared to transfer administrative processes and distribute authority among other provinces.
Pezeshkian underscored the need for universities to step up their involvement in research and studies, which are crucial to devising effective solutions for organizing the situation in Tehran, preventing further expansion, and evaluating the feasibility of relocating the capital.
“We will allocate budgets to universities based on research that provides precise and practical solutions to the country’s challenges,” he asserted, stressing the importance of academic contributions in tackling urban issues. In line with this directive, Pezeshkian tasked the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development with the urgent development of a comprehensive plan aimed at organizing, decentralizing, and assessing the viability of moving the capital. Moreover, the president urged the ministry to consider previously made decisions and present a detailed plan to the government for approval and subsequent implementation.