Amid ongoing warnings about land subsidence crisis in Iran, an official from the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development announced that Iran ranks third globally in terms of land subsidence, revealing that the largest subsidence zones in the country have been identified in Golestan Province.
Ali Beitollahi, head of the Earthquake Engineering and Risk Department at the Road, Housing, and Urban Development Research Center, warned on Saturday, August 23, that due to the severe depletion of groundwater resources, Iran is now among the top three countries in the world in terms of the “number of land subsidence zones.”
He explained that the main cause of land subsidence in Iran is the lowering of groundwater levels, saying: “Around Tehran, we used to have groundwater at depths of 20 to 30 meters. Now, even at 120 meters, when we dig wells, there is no water. The water has been extracted and not replenished. This is called a negative water balance.”
Land Subsidence Warnings in Tehran and the Critical Situation of 70% of Iran’s Plains
Beitollahi elaborated that when the soil loses its water, the underground layers compress and the surface sinks.
According to him, this process prevents surface water from infiltrating the ground, causes aquifers to lose their reserves, and results in runoff flowing on the surface.
The head of Earthquake Engineering and Risk warned that many of Iran’s historical sites are located in subsidence zones, saying: “Today, Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan (a major historical site) has cracked, as well as Seyyed Mosque in Isfahan, Naqsh-e Rostam, Persepolis, and other monuments. Unfortunately, out of about 67 cultural heritage sites, 27 are located in subsidence zones.”
On August 12, Isa Bozorgzadeh, spokesperson for Iran’s water industry, warned about the unprecedented severity of the water crisis, stating that 70% of Iran’s plains are in “restricted” or “critically restricted” conditions, and more than 300 plains, including Tehran, face serious land subsidence risks.
Transportation infrastructure at risk
Beitollahi also stated that transportation infrastructure, including railways and roads, has not been spared, mentioning the Tehran-Mashhad railway, the Isfahan-Tehran railway, and the railway along Lake Urmia’s coast. He added: “In Golestan Province, we have the largest subsidence zone. In Mazandaran, too, we have found subsidence in places we never expected. The spread of subsidence across the country is very extensive.”
This Ministry of Roads and Urban Development official stressed that the largest subsidence zones in Iran are located in densely populated areas and settlements, not in deserts or mountains.
He identified Mashhad, southwestern Tehran, southeastern Shiraz, and northern Isfahan as among the most significant subsidence centers in Iran.
According to Beitollahi, the depletion of groundwater resources began in the mid-1970s with population growth and agricultural expansion, but the intensity of subsidence increased in the 1990s.
Referring to the amount of groundwater lost, he added: “If we imagine a canal from the Caspian Sea coast to the Sea of Oman, 100 meters deep and 1 kilometer wide, the volume of water Iran has lost would be enough to fill such a canal. This negative water balance manifests as subsidence, and if not managed, nature will certainly give a harsh response.”
Somayeh Rafiei, head of the Environmental Caucus in the regime’s parliament, warned last month that excessive groundwater extraction has caused land subsidence in 30 provinces and turned 66% of the country’s wetlands into dust storm sources.
