Urban Development Policy Making

Urban Development Policy Making

Examining the Consequences of Moving the Capital to Makran with Hydropolitical Approaches and Hydro-Hegemonic Structures

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Department of Reclamation of Arid and Mountainous regions Engineering, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran
2 Assistant professor, Department of reclamation of arid and mountainous regions Engineering, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.
10.22034/judpm.2026.581957.1105
Abstract
This research investigates the strategic implications and challenges of relocating Iran's capital from Tehran to the Makran region, with a specific focus on hydropolitical dimensions and water resource sustainability. Given the escalating water management crisis and the inherent instability of the current centralized capital model, this study employs expert opinion analysis and a weighted scoring modeling approach to evaluate the multi-dimensional impacts of this relocation. The findings indicate that the current water management paradigm in Tehran faces severe hydropolitical instability, and relocating the capital could facilitate a redistribution of power and a shift in hydropolitical equilibrium toward Iran's southeast. However, statistical analysis reveals a critical gap between strategic necessity and infrastructural readiness; specifically, the inadequacy of existing infrastructure in the Makran region and the risks associated with localized water resource tensions are identified as primary threats to the project. The results of this study emphasize that the success of such a large-scale strategic relocation necessitates a transition from centralized management toward an integrated, cross-sectoral governance model. Without strengthening water infrastructures and mitigating geopolitical risks, the relocation may exacerbate environmental and social crises within the region.
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 31 May 2026

  • Receive Date 18 May 2026
  • Revise Date 31 May 2026
  • Accept Date 29 May 2026
  • Publish Date 31 May 2026